Germany's move away from nuclear energy is part of its goal to become carbon neutral, with the country aiming to meet 80% of its energy demand with renewables by 2030 and phase out coal by the same year.

The phaseout of nuclear power in Germany was initially planned to be completed by 2022, with the country having only three remaining nuclear plants in operation at the time.

However, due to energy shortages caused by cutting imports from Russia, Germany extended the life of its three remaining nuclear reactors until April 15, 2023.

This extension aims to avoid an energy shortage crisis this winter, and it is part of Germany's plan to diversify its energy sources.

The Russian-Ukrainian war has had a significant impact on Germany's energy supply, with the country facing a possible Russian gas outage and seeking to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels.

In response to these challenges, Germany is ramping up renewable energy production and aiming to phase out coal by 2030, with the goal of meeting 80% of its energy demand with renewables.

Some sectors of the German population are pushing to bring nuclear reactors back online, with 65 percent of Germans supporting nuclear power for climate targets.

The extension of nuclear plant operation can reduce carbon emissions by 15.8 million tons and save 10.65% of the country's total power generation.

Additionally, nuclear power generation can stabilize electricity prices and reduce air pollution, making it a valuable component of a diversified energy mix.

The German government's decision to phase out nuclear power has been controversial, with some arguing that it was based on misleading information about nuclear power plant extension.

Overall, the impact of extending the operation of nuclear power plants on Germany's energy mix and emissions reduction goals is complex, and the country must carefully consider the potential consequences for its energy security.

The technical requirements for extending the operation of Germany's existing nuclear power plants include ensuring reactor safety and limiting the extension to several months.

The extension would also require using remaining nuclear fuel or refueling after maintenance.

The capital costs of extended nuclear power plants are estimated to be between $500-$1,100 per kW.

Nuclear power plants can replace natural gas from Russia, and they can also reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

However, the opposition to nuclear power is a core issue for the Green Party, and the Fukushima accident changed Germany's nuclear energy policy.

The German government pays dividends on nuclear power plant extensions to the national treasury, and the nuclear fuel tax was increased to 2.3 billion euros per year.

The household electricity price in Germany rose to 0.3714 euros per kWh in 2022, and renewable energy accounts for nearly half of Germany's installed capacity.

Nuclear power plant capacity accounted for 4.1% of installed capacity but 12.4% of power generation in Germany.

The extension of nuclear power plants would have an impact on the safety and efficiency of the plants, and it would also affect the German energy market.

The decision to extend the operation of nuclear power plants is based on clear facts and is expected to be made within a few weeks.

The stress test of the German electric power system is underway, and the German gas storage facilities are filled better than before.

New liquefied gas terminals will be operational by the end of the year, and Germany exports electricity to France due to solidarity.

The German energy market is coping with the loss of nuclear energy, but it is still facing challenges due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Extending the operation of nuclear power plants in Germany could provide economic breathing space, especially in the face of a possible Russian gas outage, which could shrink the German economy by 12%.

The German government has considered extending the life of the three remaining nuclear plants, which account for 6% of the country's electricity production.

However, the extension of nuclear plants faces safety and fuel access issues, with limited fuel rods hindering the extension of nuclear plant life.

The cost of extending the operation of nuclear power plants in Germany is estimated to be around 100 million euros, with maintenance costs at individual plants such as "Isar 2" reaching 50 million euros.

On the other hand, extending nuclear plant operation to 60 years can generate a profit of 100 billion euros.

The economic benefits of extending nuclear power plant operation also include reducing reliance on coal and gas, which are more carbon-polluting energy sources.

Nuclear power plants produce relatively little carbon dioxide, and atomic energy could help Germany meet its greenhouse gas targets and become "climate neutral" by 2045.

However, the Green Party opposes the extension of nuclear power due to the high costs involved.

Despite the opposition, public support for nuclear plants has grown amid the gas crisis, and some sectors of the German population are pushing to bring nuclear reactors back online.

In fact, Germany has already extended the life of its three nuclear reactors until April 15, 2023, in an effort to avoid an energy shortage crisis during the winter.

The extension of nuclear power plant operation can also help reduce the energy problem, but it is an expensive process.

Overall, the estimated costs and benefits of extending the operation of nuclear power plants in Germany suggest that it could be a viable option for reducing the country's reliance on fossil fuels and achieving its climate goals, despite the high costs and safety concerns involved.

Germany's move away from nuclear energy is part of its goal to become carbon neutral, with the country aiming to meet 80% of its energy demand with renewables by 2030 and phase out coal by the same year.

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Content: World

Berlin against, Rome is silent, Paris in favor. Nuclear power explodes in the EU

Germany closed three reactors in 2021 and plans to do the same with the other three in 2022. Belgium shares the same idea, “shut down” its seven plants by 2025. Spain, which has some reactors in operation as well, does not consider them “green” at all. Luxembourg dismisses the proposal to include the atom in the green taxonomy as a “provocation”. Austria of the atom does not want to know, with 82% of its primary energy production made from renewables (data 2019), and is studying a legal action against the Commission. France is delighted to see nuclear power (77% of its domestic production) taken into account by Brussels. Italy, which is fond of Minister Cingolani’s idea of increasing its gas extractions, is currently silent and at least hopes for a golden rule to exclude “green” investments from the calculation of the deficit. A few days after the publication of the draft of the European Commission on the green taxonomy, the distances between the 27 instead of narrowing, are widening and if yesterday they seemed divided, today they show themselves to be shattered.

The definition of the green taxonomy is fundamental in orienting investments: with the “green” stamp, industrial and infrastructure projects can be much more attractive for private capital. However, the decision to include nuclear and gas in the EU’s green taxonomy has met with harsh criticism already in recent weeks, when rumors had not yet taken the form of a draft Commission. The technicians from Brussels and the team of experts who collaborated in the drafting of the central document for the definition of the EU energy planning in the context of the Green New Deal tried to circumvent the foreseeable resistance by introducing some conditions for the two sources that are not neutral with respect to the climate and the environment. Nuclear and gas, first of all, will be considered compatible with the green taxonomy only for a defined period of time and “to the extent that they contribute to the transition towards climate neutrality and do not significantly damage the environment”, according to an official of Brussels. “The Commission sees the future energy mix as a predominantly renewable or low-carbon energy system. We really hope that this proposal will help bring about the change we need and channel private funding towards low-emission energy sources ”.

In fact, it means that investments in nuclear power will be “green” only if the projects presented have a well defined plan, funds and site for the disposal of radioactive waste in total safety. Building permits will only be allowed until 2045. It is worth remembering that at the moment there is still talk of third generation or third plus nuclear power. Not the fourth, the (slag-free) fusion that experts believe may have a role on an industrial scale no earlier than the middle of the century. As for gas, investments in power plants will be green only if they contribute to emissions of less than 270 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh and replace more polluting fossil fuel plants. They will need to obtain a building permit before 2030.

On gas, the Commission’s conditions appear much more stringent. It is a non-solid fossil source, certainly less polluting than coal and to which Italy looks with interest, having unused methane deposits. Moreover, in a European context of high prices and constant reduction of supplies from the main supplier, Russia, for reasons of a geopolitical nature. But it is on nuclear power that the clash risks worsening at the community level.

“We believe nuclear technology is dangerous,” government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit told reporters in Berlin, noting that the question of what to do with the radioactive waste remains unresolved. Hebestreit added that Germany “expressly rejects” the EU assessment on atomic energy and has repeatedly affirmed this position towards the Commission. Germany is now considering the next steps to take. Germany is set to shut down the remaining three nuclear power plants later this year and phase out coal by 2030, while its neighbor France aims to modernize existing reactors and build new ones to meet energy needs. Berlin plans to rely on natural gas until it can be replaced by non-polluting energy sources. The opposite paths taken by two of the EU’s largest economies have led to an embarrassing situation for the Commission. The draft EU executive branch concludes that both nuclear power and natural gas can be considered sustainable under certain conditions for investment purposes.

Hebestreit said the German government’s goal is to use natural gas only as a “bridge technology” and replace it with non-polluting alternatives such as hydrogen produced from renewable energy by 2045, the deadline the country has set for becoming climate neutral. . The spokesman did not say whether Chancellor Olaf Scholz supports the opinion of the Minister of Economy and Climate Robert Habeck that the European Commission’s proposals are a form of “greenwashing”.

Germany has pulled the plug on three of its last six nuclear power plants. The Brokdorf, Grohnde and Gundremmingen C reactors, operated by the E.On and Rwe utilities, were closed on December 31st after 35 years of operation. The last three nuclear power plants – Isar 2, Emsland and Neckarwestheim II – will be shut down by the end of 2022. However, closure does not mean decommissioning, which will take much longer and is expected to take place by 2040 in the case of Brokdorf, for example. .

In 2021, the six nuclear power plants contributed about 12% of electricity generation in Germany. The German energy mix consists of 41% renewables, 28% coal and 15% gas. By 2030, Germany aims to meet 80% of energy demand with renewables. This is not the case in France where – given Eurostat 2019 – 77.6% of its energy produced comes from the atom and only 20% from renewable.

Germany is not alone in the firm opposition to the proposal put forward by Brussels: the draft “is a provocation from a procedural point of view” and “in terms of content it hides the risk of greenwashing”, wrote on Twitter the Minister of Energy of the Luxembourg, Claude Turmes, saying he is ready to “examine the proposal in detail and discuss further steps” together with Germany and Austria, equally opposed to including nuclear power among sustainable investments. The proposal was sent to governments on Friday, “in a nocturnal and nebulous action. This says a lot about transparency ”, attacked Turmes.

The same tones used by Vienna: if these are the plans “we will sue”, wrote on Twitter the Austrian Federal Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Leonore Gewessler, highlighting that nuclear energy is “dangerous and not it represents a solution in the fight against the climate crisis ”. Austria has no reactors and produces almost all of its energy from renewable sources.

The Spanish government also rejected the European Commission’s proposal to include nuclear and natural gas energy in the EU’s “green” taxonomy. According to Madrid, this is “a step backwards” and “a wrong signal” for the financial markets. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, stressed that “regardless of whether we can continue to invest in one or the other, we believe they are not green or sustainable energies”. Spain – he added – “is a firm supporter of green taxonomy as a key tool to have common references that can be used by investors to achieve the decarbonisation of the economy and climate neutrality by 2050”, but include nuclear and gas “It would be a step backwards,” according to the government official Sanchez. “It makes no sense and sends the wrong signals for the European energy transition as a whole,” he stressed. While admitting that both nuclear power and natural gas have a role to play in the transition, this is “limited in time”. Member States have until 12 January to provide their response to the Commission. Then, once published, it will have to pass the scrutiny of the EU Council and Parliament, where the environmentalist parties are also announcing a battle.

In 2019, France was the country that produced the largest share of energy in the EU (20% of the total), followed by Germany (17%), Poland (9.6%), Italy and Sweden (6%). ). However, the debate on green taxonomy is intertwined with energy security (or sovereignty) in a particular historical phase, marked by risks to the security of supply due to geopolitical and military reasons, as shown by the tensions on the Ukrainian border. Primary energy production in the EU in 2019 was distributed among various energy sources, the most important of which in terms of the size of its contribution were renewables, with over a third (36.5%) of the total. Second place for nuclear power, with 32.0% of total primary energy production, with France in the lead, followed by Belgium (77% of domestic production in 2019) which, however, is about to abound in nuclear power like Germany. However, all European energy production is not enough to meet its needs: more than half of Europe’s energy is imported. The EU energy dependency rate exceeds 50%.

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The phaseout of nuclear power in Germany was initially planned to be completed by 2022, with the country having only three remaining nuclear plants in operation at the time.

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Content: Three nuclear-fired power plants will be taken off the grid in Germany on Friday as part of the country's plan to end atomic power.

"The nuclear phaseout makes our country safer and helps to avoid radioactive waste," said Federal Environment and Nuclear Safety Minister Steffi Lemke.

"It is now essential to ... advance the search for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste as well as permanent solutions for low- and medium-level radioactive waste," the environment ministry said.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel speeded up the phaseout following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.

Friday's shutdown affects power plants in Brokdorf in Schleswig-Holstein, Grohnde in Lower Saxony and Gundremmingen C in Bavaria.

Germany's remaining three nuclear plants — Emsland in Lower Saxony, Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — will be closed by the end of 2022 "at the latest," the environment ministry said.

"Since 2011, Germany has been drawing a line under a highly problematic technology in an orderly, reliable process," Lemke said.

Nuclear accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production. The shutdown has sparked criticism as Germany will have to dramatically ramp up renewable energy and has also increased its reliance on highly polluting coal-fired power.

"Security of supply in Germany continues to be guaranteed," said Robert Habeck, federal climate and economy minister. He added that reliable and "sustainably generated electricity" is a "central requirement for aligning our economy and industry toward climate neutrality."

That stance puts Berlin at loggerheads with France, where nuclear is the largest element of its energy mix (and also helps supply Germany).

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in September that existing nuclear plants, which provide low-carbon electricity essential to the green transition, can be kept running "for two, five, 10 years," adding: "Why deprive ourselves of this production capacity?"

France is planning to scale down the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035, but President Emmanuel Macron said in November that France "will restart the construction of nuclear reactors" while "continuing to develop renewable energies."

Macron also said France will invest €1 billion into research and development, notably into small modular reactors.

Belgium recently decided to shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2025, but plans to invest €100 million in new generation nuclear reactors and research.

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However, due to energy shortages caused by cutting imports from Russia, Germany extended the life of its three remaining nuclear reactors until April 15, 2023.

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Content: Global News
Germany is extending the life of its reactors.
The Winter Challenge is postponing future plans.
You are now following the news that Germany is extending the life of its reactors.
The winter challenge postpones future plans from the World News section and now we leave you with full details
Mohammed - Abu Dhabi on Tuesday 18 October 2022 08: 23 AM - German Chancellor Olaf Schulz ordered on Monday evening to extend the operation of the country's three remaining nuclear reactors until next April, to avoid the country's energy shortage crisis this winter.
Schulz, in a statement, asked the ministries of economy, environment and finance to establish the legal basis for the continuation of the nuclear plants in operation, adding that "the plants of Isar 2, Neckaroisheim 2 and Island, will be operated beyond the deadline of December 31, to become until April 15, 2023."
This is one of the most significant consequences of Ukraine ’ s war on Germany, which had previously planned to phase out nuclear power by the end of 2022, but a shortage of energy supplies after cutting imports from Russia caused a trend to extend it.
Hostility to nuclear power
In 1998, the Socialists' alliance with the Greens won the elections with an anti-nuclear program, and after talks with the electricity companies they agreed to set a shorter life span for nuclear reactors, which was limited to 32 years.
• Details included that this was based on the production of certain quantities of electricity and not according to the period of time, and not to build new reactors, but again set a date to stop the stations, which is the end of 2022, and the agreement was turned into a law in 2002.
The law resulted in the closure of Steed in 2003 and Obergheim in 2005.
• In 2009, the Christian Democratic Party led by Angela Merkel came to power, and the country had 17 nuclear plants, and the government decided to extend the operation of 7 plants in 8 years and the other 10 within 14 years.
After the Fukushima accident, the government suspended the 10-year extension and decided to suspend the reactors that had been extended for seven years.
• In 2011, it decided to close 8 reactors and close the remaining 9 by 2022, with the last plants closed at the end of 2021.
The challenge of survival
Ahmed Al-Qarout, senior analyst at the British consulting firm Spyline, believes that the German chancellor ’ s decision to extend the work of the remaining plants is part of Germany ’ s plan to diversify energy sources.
Al-Qarout pointed out in an interview with "Dot Al-Khaleej" that Germany has moved even to return to coal, despite its environmental impact in the future, but "there are priorities in life, foremost of which is the priority of survival, so the future cannot be secured without focusing on the present."
On whether it will take longer to use nuclear power, the economic analyst prefers to wait until the winter to clear the vision on the provision of alternatives, especially as Germany ’ s energy contracts with Qatar start in 2023.
He predicted that the Germans will cross the energy crisis by finding alternatives, but the crisis "lies in the rise in energy prices, because Germany gets energy from America three and four times the price, which reflects on the cost of living."
Extension Options
The economist, Anas Al-Hajji, sees in an article, that the decision to extend the reactors means that there are two ways:
The first is simple: what will remain of nuclear fuel at the end of the year will not be completely depleted, so the reactors can continue to operate until the end of the winter, which everyone fears.
- The second option, long-term, is that if the government decides to extend for years, it means stopping the reactors for months of maintenance, then adding new nuclear fuel, and then starting the reactors again, which is an expensive process, but may reduce the energy problem for years, especially if gas prices remain high.
We hope that we have succeeded in conveying the full details of the news of Germany extending the life of its reactors..
The Winter Challenge delays plans for the future.
In God ’ s care and protection.
You may also read.

This extension aims to avoid an energy shortage crisis this winter, and it is part of Germany's plan to diversify its energy sources.

The Russian-Ukrainian war has had a significant impact on Germany's energy supply, with the country facing a possible Russian gas outage and seeking to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels.

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Gas crisis prompts Germany to consider extending life of remaining nuclear plants
Germany may extend the life of its three remaining nuclear power plants, the economy ministry said on Monday, as public support for them grows in the face of a possible Russian gas outage.
Germany's remaining nuclear plants are due to close by the end of the year, after former chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to phase out nuclear power in the wake of Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
The three plants accounted for up to 6 percent of Germany ’ s electricity production in the first quarter of 2022.
The ministry said the country's power grid operators had requested a new assessment on the viability of nuclear power.
"We will now conduct another assessment and then make a decision based on the clear facts," a ministry spokesman said, adding that the results of the new assessment were expected to be released within a few weeks.

In response to these challenges, Germany is ramping up renewable energy production and aiming to phase out coal by 2030, with the goal of meeting 80% of its energy demand with renewables.

Some sectors of the German population are pushing to bring nuclear reactors back online, with 65 percent of Germans supporting nuclear power for climate targets.

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Germany lied about nuclear energy: expert

The German government misled its citizens about the possible extension of nuclear power plants, Jakub Wiech, deputy Editor-in-Chief of Energetyka24.com, wrote on Saturday. According to him, all indications are that Berlin’s aim was to close the units regardless of the risks.

He cited Simon Wakter, a Swedish nuclear engineer, who presented a series of materials on his social media showing that Berlin’s narrative on the nuclear issue was getting the truth wrong. As the journalist pointed out, Mr Wakter “has collected statements by German politicians and energy scientists from recent months, juxtaposing them.”

“In his reasoning, Mr Wakter cites, among other things, the German government’s key argument regarding nuclear fuel. Berlin claimed that extending the operation of the nuclear power plants was impossible due to the lack of contracted fuel rod supplies. However, according to Die Welt, there was a confidential meeting between ruling coalition politicians and representatives of nuclear plant operators in March 2022,” Mr Wiech wrote.

As he continued, at the meeting the latter stated that they were able to organise deliveries within a “reasonable timeframe,” however, Berlin took no action in this regard, going further into the narrative of being unable to provide fuel input.

“On exactly 8 March, the German government published a report listing the reasons why nuclear power plants can no longer operate. However, at the same time, those in power met with representatives of nuclear industry operators, who indicated solutions to the allegations made by the report,” Mr Wakter was quoted as saying by the journalist.

“As additional evidence, he points to a statement by a spokesman for Preussen Elektra, who says that the Isar nuclear power plant, one of the last three units of its type in Germany, can continue to operate beyond 31 December 2022 – and without additional supplies of nuclear fuel. Berlin’s argument in this regard has been shown to be a simple lie,” Mr Wiech wrote.

As he added, according to an opinion poll from spring 2022, the majority of Germans (65 percent) see nuclear power as part of measures aimed at meeting EU climate targets.

“So, as it turns out, the German government’s key arguments for shutting down nuclear power (lack of fuel and public opposition) turned out to be lies. One may wonder why Berlin is pushing so desperately to extinguish these units – despite the energy crisis,” Mr Wiech concluded.

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The extension of nuclear plant operation can reduce carbon emissions by 15.8 million tons and save 10.65% of the country's total power generation.

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Content: KMT legislative candidate Wang Hongwei recently threw out the issue of "nuclear two nuclear three extended service", hoping to debate this topic with DPP candidate Wu Yinong, and has not yet received a specific response.
Electricity experts said that Taiwan is facing five major problems: power shortage, price increase, air pollution, carbon reduction, and national security, and it is very necessary to extend the service of the second nuclear power plant and the third nuclear power plant.
In fact, regarding the issue of the third extension of the second nuclear power plant, as early as last week, the Taiwan Power Union put forward a proposal letter, saying, "In recent years, Taiwan businessmen have returned to Taiwan to expand their investment, and the demand for power in the semiconductor industry has risen. In response, the load of the power grid is like a wire rope, a slight error, and public opinion and all parties will fall into the sea of blame, which is really not the grassroots colleagues can bear." Therefore, it is recommended that "given that the operating license of the second nuclear plant No. 2 will be issued on March 14, next (112), in the context of continuous operation safety, please actively study the second and third nuclear plant extension matters. And...
Therefore, Wang Hongwei is more like a "champion" than a "champion".
After Wang Hongwei put forward the nuclear second nuclear issue, the anti-nuclear group took out regulations to deny, saying that the extension of service must be applied in advance, and it is no longer feasible.
However, Professor Li Min of the Institute of Nuclear Engineering Science at National Tsing Hua University, who has promoted the "green with nuclear" and "restarting the fourth nuclear power plant," posted a PPT on the Internet entitled "Why should we promote the" second nuclear power plant "extension?", pointing out that "Taiwan's electricity supply is facing the problems of power shortage, price increase, air pollution, carbon reduction, and national security. Stabilize electricity prices, reduce air pollution, save the earth, and improve Taipower and CNOOC ’ s finances. ”
Another PTT stressed that Taiwan ’ s power shortage is not alarmist, but according to the 110-Year National Power Resource Supply and Demand Report (published in 111) of the Energy Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, “Taiwan ’ s future adjustable power supply and generator set is seriously insufficient. ”
The two units of the second nuclear power plant have a installed capacity of 1.97 million megawatts (98.5 × 2) and the two units of the third nuclear power plant have a installed capacity of 1.90.2 million megawatts (95.1 × 2), which translates to an annual power generation of about 31 billion kWh, equivalent to 10.65% of the country's total power generation in 110 years.
From the perspective of carbon reduction, to Taiwan Power Company's carbon emission coefficient of 0.509 kg / degree, if the two nuclear and three energy complete operation, the annual carbon emission reduction of 15.8 million tons is 1.8 times the carbon emission reduction of Taiwan's "green power generation" (wind, light, water, waste power generation) in 110 years.
As for the issue of regulations not allowed, Professor Li Min has said many times in media interviews that from the perspective of science and technology, the nuclear second nuclear third can be extended, and its extension plan has been written long ago, but because of political interference, it has been turned into a decommissioning plan.
Regulations are made artificially, and if you want to use nuclear energy, you can modify and adjust the regulations, which is not a problem at all.
Indeed, in the United States, California's Diablo Canyon NPP (Diablo Canyon NPP) as an example, for a long time in the past, California's anti-nuclear voice is strong, the Devil Valley nuclear power plant originally did not intend to extend service, is expected to close in 2025, has completed the decommissioning plan.
However, in September this year, the California State Assembly passed a temporary extension of the Alcatraz Valley nuclear power plant by a large margin of votes, extending its operating permit to 2030.
Very clearly, this is not in line with the original nuclear power regulations. According to normal steps, nuclear power extension requires more than 2 years of work time, including the inspection of the whole power plant, equipment renewal, etc., in order to get the second operating license, the deadline is 25 years, Devil's Valley nuclear power plant's five-year extension is a contingency, otherwise it can not be completed in 2025 when the license expires. And...
Another obvious example is Germany, which is known to be a staunchly nuclear abolitionist country. The original plan was to shut down the three nuclear power plants of Isar 2, Emsland and Neckarwisheim, which are still in operation, by the end of this year. By the end of this year, the use of nuclear energy, which is already in short supply, will inevitably worsen the situation.
Energy shortages have forced Germany ’ s parliament to suspend its plans to scrap its nuclear program in 2022, and nuclear power plants must be on standby until at least April next year.
Obviously, this is also a violation of the original regulations, but before the ruthless power shortage crisis, it seems pointless to adhere to the regulations.
# NUCLEAR TWO NUCLEAR TWO NUCLEAR TRADE UNION # WANG HONG-WEI # REGULATIONS

Additionally, nuclear power generation can stabilize electricity prices and reduce air pollution, making it a valuable component of a diversified energy mix.

The German government's decision to phase out nuclear power has been controversial, with some arguing that it was based on misleading information about nuclear power plant extension.

Overall, the impact of extending the operation of nuclear power plants on Germany's energy mix and emissions reduction goals is complex, and the country must carefully consider the potential consequences for its energy security.

Title:

Content: The European Commission proposed at the beginning of this year to include nuclear energy and natural gas as green energy investment projects to promote private investment and help the EU achieve its climate goals. On July 6, the European Parliament voted to pass the supplementary authorization law with 328 votes and 278 votes.
Based on the European Union ’ s “Sustainability Classification Standard ” proposed in the Official Journal of the European Union in 2020, the classification system creates a list of sustainable economic activities to define what investments meet the criteria for sustainable energy. In the transition,“ some nuclear and natural gas ” under certain conditions will be considered as green energy, for example, banks will be able to lend to these “green assets ”. Financing for nuclear power plants or natural gas will be easier. Although the voices of both sides are fiercely fighting in the parliament, the new green energy standard will not be reversed from the voting results, and it is certain that it will be on the road in January 2023.
Big changes in the European Union ’ s sustainability category
In fact, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global oil and gas and other energy prices have continued to soar, and European countries that have joined the ranks of sanctions have been in a dilemma because they rely heavily on Russian oil and gas exports.
According to the commitment of the European Union, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and to reduce carbon by 50-55% by 2030, some European countries maintain that natural gas emissions are far lower than fossil fuels, so it can be regarded as a transition option. In order to avoid the threat of Russia cutting off natural gas supply, some countries began to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States and Australia, or signed a long-term agreement with natural gas suppliers to ensure supply, and vigorously invested in renewable energy construction is also the way of most European countries. The only way to achieve carbon-neutral standards is to continue building more nuclear plants; Germany is on track to complete nuclear elimination, with only three remaining plants still in operation, and the remaining plants will be completely decommissioned by the end of this year, according to the government plan.
The United States, on the other side of the globe, has set up a $6 billion fund to help nuclear plants continue to operate despite having the world ’ s largest nuclear power plant, and passed a bill last year to expand nuclear power development. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), countries that choose to continue or increase their use of nuclear energy can reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels, reduce carbon emissions and integrate their power systems into more solar and wind power. Carbon emissions, global nuclear power generation needs to be increased from the current 413 GW to at least 812 GW.
For the full text and chart, please refer to "Investment Weekly Issue 2204".
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Trump Or Biden, Nuclear Power Is Crucial For The Energy Transition

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As the world grapples with the existential threat of climate change, one energy solution transcends partisan politics: a bold reinvestment in nuclear power. Despite historically high spending on climate efforts by the US and EU, it's becoming clear their policies are "insufficient" to meet 2050 net-zero emissions targets.

The problem isn't a lack of funding. The US has earmarked over $145 billion since 2020 through acts like the CHIPS GraniteShares HIPS US High Income ETF Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Inflation Reduction Act could funnel between $369 billion to $3 trillion into clean energy deployment by 2032. Similarly, the EU aims to mobilize €1 trillion in sustainable investment this decade via initiatives like the Green Deal.

But smart implementation trumps dollar amounts. As the latest IPCC report underscores, current wind, solar, and hydro projections - even paired with storage - cannot facilitate deep decarbonization fast enough to hit 2050 goals. Without nuclear's proven, zero-carbon baseload power, we may face emissions overshoots delaying net-zero until the 2070s or beyond.

Nuclear isn't just a climate solution - it enhances energy security, creates stable jobs, and via clean hydrogen production, supplies a valuable energy transition feedstock. That's why policymakers must get pragmatic by expanding this vital technology.

The U.S., Canada, Japan, as well as many European countries are currently seeking to expand their nuclear capacity by up to three times by 2050, as outlined in the 2023 Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy. Prior to that, nuclear progress in the U.S. has been very slow - since 1996, the only new nuclear plants built have been Watts Bar Unit 2 in Tennessee, as well as the recently operational Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle in Georgia. Still, the U.S. has the largest nuclear fleet in the world that is characterized by a high capacity factor of 92.7% (signaling minimal reactor downtime).

In contrast, some Western European countries, like Germany and Italy have pursued a nuclear phase-out, based on a public referendum. Other countries, which were on the way to a nuclear phaseout, have changed course in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Instead of a phase-out, Switzerland and Belgium are extending their reactor lifespans rather than shutting them down. Moreover, economically developing and energy-insecure Eastern European nations like Hungary, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia and Romania have advanced plans for new nuclear reactors.

To rapidly decarbonize, both the U.S. and the E.U. should adopt a nuclear advancement strategy with six key elements:

1. Reactor Life Extensions - Properly maintained, existing Gen II reactors like Switzerland's 53-year-old Beznau plant can safely operate well past original license terms. Life extensions avoid premature closures wasting reliable, zero-carbon assets. Lifetime extensions to 60-80 years should be considered.

2. Reactor Restarts - Where feasible, recommissioning previously shut plants, following the DOE-backed model of restarting Michigan's Palisades facility. This quickly brings paid-for capacity back online.

3. New Reactor Construction - Both large-scale gigawatt plants and flexible small modular designs must enter the mix, particularly in regions like Eastern Europe with soaring energy demand and security concerns.

4. Next-Gen Deployment - Creating a Transatlantic "orderbook" for at least 10 advanced nuclear plants would commercialize the design and let the learning by doing and the economies of scale kick in.

5. Waste Storage Solutions - Permanent geologic repositories need to be found, based on successful examples like Finland's Onkalo facility, the world’s first deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel.

6. Nuclear Reprocessing - Successfully employed in France, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel should be legalized in the U.S. to boost waste recycling, which greatly reduces the volume of spent fuel.

Nuclear energy is indispensable to address the current climate crisis and should be embraced by environmentalists and energy security hawks alike. With pragmatic policies like reactor life extensions, restarts, new construction, and responsible waste storage, nuclear can drive the urgent decarbonization the entire world requires. This transcends partisan politics - it's simply rational investment.

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Content: Germany To Postpone Closure Of Last Three Nuclear Power Plants - WSJ

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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2022) Germany, faced with possible energy shortages in the winter as gas supplies from Russia have dropped, intends to postpone the closure of its last three nuclear power plants (NPPs) in a move marking a departure from a two-decade policy to abandon nuclear energy, The Wall Street Journal reported citing German government officials.

The decision, which has to be formally adopted by the cabinet of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and would possibly require a vote in Parliament, could be weeks off, but already now the German government says two key conditions have been met that allow a temporary extension of the life of the three remaining NPPs, currently expected to close December 31: the possibility of a gas shortage and the confidence that a longer operation of reactors would pose no safety concern, according to the officials.

"The reactors are safe until Dec. 31, and obviously they will remain safe also after Dec. 31," the WSJ quoted a senior official as saying.

Scholz last week said for the first time that it could make sense to keep Germany's last three nuclear reactors online.

However, even if the life of the three German NPPs is extended, this will not be a panacea for Germany's looming energy crisis this winter as the country is mainly missing natural gas, primarily used for heating and manufacturing.

The European Union has been seeking to diversify energy imports and reduce dependence on Russia after Moscow started its special military operation in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has repeatedly said that Russia has never used gas supplies to punish anyone, but sells energy solely in its own interests, to increase the welfare of Russians and on a commercial basis.

The German government has also outlined measures to reduce gas and power consumption in the country over the next two years. The measures in particular include lowering the temperature in public buildings. According to Germany's energy regulator, gas consumption will have to be cut by 20 percent if Germany wants to avoid a gas shortfall during this coming winter and next winter.

The three officials who spoke to the WSJ said the extension of the NPPs' life would only be made for several months.

The power plants in question are Isar 2 in the southern state of Bavaria, Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Wurttemberg and Emsland in Lower Saxony. They are operated, respectively, by E.On SE, EnBW AG, and RWE AG.

After the start of Russia's special military operation to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine, the West has stepped up sanctions pressure on Russia, which has led to an increase in prices for energy and food in Europe and the United States.

The technical requirements for extending the operation of Germany's existing nuclear power plants include ensuring reactor safety and limiting the extension to several months.

The extension would also require using remaining nuclear fuel or refueling after maintenance.

The capital costs of extended nuclear power plants are estimated to be between $500-$1,100 per kW.

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Content: Alert
The hot and cold reaction of the competition was obvious when Su Zhenchang and Lai Qingde helped the platform Chen
Why do many countries decide to reinvest in nuclear power?
【 Li Shulian / Editorial Department of North American Intellectual Property News 】
Recently, a number of countries that originally supported the decommissioning of nuclear plants have turned around and announced that they will extend the operation of their domestic nuclear plants. Not only that, but they will also invest tens of billions of dollars to create more large and small nuclear reactors.
That ’ s all because nuclear energy can effectively solve two of the world ’ s biggest crises: energy and climate change.
The energy crisis and climate change can be said to bring a breakthrough development opportunity for nuclear energy, the former to pursue energy diversity, the latter to pursue net zero emissions, and known as the best efficiency of green energy of nuclear energy of course become one of the mandatory items when formulating energy policies in many countries.
However, these major powers, including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and South Korea, have frozen their investment in nuclear power plants due to public doubts about nuclear safety caused by the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant earthquake, so that the relevant technology to build nuclear power plants has been surpassed by Russia and China.
However, this has not hindered the determination of many countries to restart nuclear power, on the road to a nuclear-free homeland, should the Chinese government also stop, look, listen?
Energy security concerns and recent spikes in energy prices, especially after Russia ’ s invasion of Ukraine, highlight the importance of a diverse mix of non-petrochemical and domestic energy sources.
Russia ’ s invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated an already tense global fuel market and continues to push up electricity prices.
According to the European Union ’ s Energy Regulatory Cooperation Agency (ACER), retail electricity prices have increased by an average of 30% year-on-year in February 2022, with the biggest price increases in regions where electricity generation is heavily dependent on natural gas, such as Madrid by 55% and Rome by 80%.
On the other hand, over the past few years, the number of countries pursuing Net Zero Emissions (NZE) has increased, with more than 70 countries covering 76% of the world ’ s energy-related CO2 emissions committing to net zero by 2022; more than 10 times more in four years, compared with only six countries committing to net zero at the end of 2018.
As countries move towards a net-zero future, renewable energy, especially wind and solar photovoltaics, is often seen as the largest source of electricity.
At the same time, however, a growing number of countries have announced their support for new nuclear power plant investment plans.
In February 2022, France announced plans to build six new large reactors starting in 2028 at a cost of around €50 billion, with an additional eight to be built by 2050, while committing €1 billion to develop innovative reactors, including small modular reactors by 2030.
China plans to continue its current pace of nuclear reactor construction in order to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2060.
South Korea ’ s new president, Yoon Seok Hyuk, has also made an election pledge to reverse South Korea ’ s nuclear phase-out policy by supporting the extension and reactivation of existing nuclear facilities at two sites, while seeking to build 10 nuclear plants overseas using South Korean technology by 2030.
Table 1.
Major Nuclear Energy Developments by Country in 2020-2022
Without nuclear energy, it would be difficult for the world to achieve net-zero emissions.
The deployment of nuclear energy has increased the diversity of the energy mix, which in addition to promoting the rise of variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, can greatly reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
In the 10 years since the first oil crisis, nearly 170 GW of nuclear power plants began construction; these plants still account for 40% of the nuclear capacity in operation today.
Many of the reasons why governments are restarting nuclear power today are also affected by the energy crisis.
On the other hand, as a mature large-scale low-emission energy source, nuclear energy can effectively help decarbonize the electricity supply.
In the International Energy Agency ’ s (IEA) net-zero 2050 setting, emissions from the energy sector are expected to fall by about 40% from 2020 to 2030, before falling back to net-zero in 2050.
This narrow but achievable path requires immediate and rigorous policy action by governments around the world to reshape energy systems in many ways.
In reality, extending the service life of a nuclear power plant is the most cost-effective and integral part of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Despite the fact that renewable energy already dominates nearly 90% of the net zero-emission energy supply, nuclear energy still plays an important role.
Today, around 260 GW (63%) of nuclear power plants worldwide have been in use for more than 30 years and are nearing the end of their initial operating license.
Nuclear power plants that have extended their service in the past three years account for about 10% of the world ’ s nuclear power plants. By 2030, the number of nuclear power plants operating in developed economies could shrink by a third.
More than half of the nuclear power plants are now able to extend their service lives for net-zero emissions, reducing the need for other low-emission options by nearly 200 GW.
By 2030, the capital cost of most extended nuclear power plants will be around $500 to $1,100 per kilowatt (kW), which is extremely competitive compared to solar and wind in most regions.
Nuclear power plays an important role in the path to net-zero emissions.
Nuclear power will double from 413 GW at the beginning of 2022 to 812 GW by 2050 in the net-zero emissions journey; and 27 GW per year between now and 2030.
If countries do not consider the extension of nuclear power plants or the construction of new nuclear power plants, the share of nuclear power in total generation will fall from 10% in 2020 to 3% in 2050, so that solar and wind energy need to fill this gap, not only need higher capital investment, but also increase the uncertainty of energy supply.
If a country like Taiwan has congenital restrictions on developing renewable energy, it needs to be filled with low-carbon energy sources such as natural gas, and the cost is even more substantial.
The contribution of nuclear energy to safe and low-emission power systems is not valued
IEA data show that nuclear power currently operates in 32 countries with a capacity of 413 GW, which could reduce global CO2 emissions by 1.5 gigatons (gigatons) and 180 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas demand annually.
While wind and solar are leaders in alternative fossil fuels, they also need to be complemented by scalable resources; as the second largest source of low-emission power after hydropower, nuclear power with scalable and growth potential has become an option for many countries.
However, the current power market design fails to fully reflect the two major benefits of nuclear power.
First, nuclear power is a scalable resource that avoids costly economic and social harm from power outages when the average power supply system load approaches the level of available supply capacity.
In addition, nuclear power is low-emission green energy, but most electricity markets do not reward the low-carbon nature of nuclear power. While many countries support clean energy production, such as production and investment tax credits and subsidized electricity prices, nuclear power is excluded from subsidies or other subsidy mechanisms available for wind and solar.
The Fukushima nuclear disaster can be avoided, and it is not advisable to waste food because of choking.
Some countries have ruled out nuclear energy in the green energy option, mainly due to concerns about safety and nuclear waste management, and these countries have decided to phase out nuclear power mainly due to public safety concerns.
In the wake of the Three Mile Island nuclear leak, the failure of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, and three major accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, public support for nuclear power in many countries has weakened significantly.
Countries that retain and continue to develop nuclear energy also strongly demand higher safety standards at their nuclear plants.
The 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant prompted countries to reassess and strengthen nuclear safety and emergency preparedness. Many countries have conducted safety inspections or pressure tests on existing reactors, and have required some types of reactors to undergo safety modifications.
These considerations have also led some countries to adjust their nuclear power use plans.
Germany, for example, has built 36 nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 30 GW, which accelerated the phase-out of all of them in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Most of the reactors have now been shut down, and the three reactors still in operation will be closed by the end of 2022.
Other European countries, such as Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, have also announced phasing out or not renewing their nuclear plants.
In Japan, many of the nuclear plants that were shut down after the Fukushima accident have not yet been restarted, and the share of nuclear power generation has fallen from a high of 35% in 2002 to about 5% today.
The Fukushima accident raised global concerns about the risks and potential costs of a nuclear disaster, leading to the decision to idle or shut down other reactors and increase thermal power generation, resulting in higher import costs for fossil fuels.
However, in response to the Fukushima disaster, the official investigation concluded that the accident should have been foreseen and prevented. [1]
The Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Nuclear Disaster has confirmed that the structure of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant cannot withstand the impact of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
On the other hand, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was not prepared for a serious accident; in fact, both Tepco and the regulatory authorities were aware of the risks posed by such natural disasters, but neither took any precautions.
The Commission noted that the structure of Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant could not withstand the strong earthquakes and tsunamis caused by 311, and that the specifications of the plant lacked sufficient seismic and tsunami strength because (1) the guidelines for the construction of Units 1 to 3 of the plant were from the late 1960s, so the guidelines for the construction were inadequate, and (2) the area around the plant was considered to be seismic activity. The smallest, never even experienced earthquake damage.
Based on this assessment, the safe tolerance level for the maximum seismic acceleration in the seismic design is set at 265 Gal, [2] with very low seismic resistance.
In addition, the lack of countermeasures to cope with the tsunami is also one of the causes of the nuclear disaster.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was built in 1967, based on seismological knowledge at the time and the possibility of core damage in such a tsunami situation. However, the early seismological knowledge was far from adequate for the emergency that occurred on 311 in 2011.
Stop, Look and Listen on the Road to a Non-Nuclear Home
As the development of renewable energy failed to meet the target, China's original 2025 renewable energy accounted for 20% of the target has been determined to be postponed to October 2026, proof that the policy should be adjusted according to the actual situation; the same, on the road to non-nuclear homes, the government should stop, look, listen, and not ignore the actual situation has been moving forward.
The general public, too, should learn more about nuclear and renewable energy to make informed decisions.
Stop: Since the Russo-Ukrainian War, the world situation has changed rapidly, seriously affecting the supply of raw materials and prices, and policymakers should stop and rethink.
Look: Reviewing established energy policies, especially the bottleneck in the development of renewable energy, is a major obstacle to the pursuit of net zero emissions, and seeing the goal of 60 to 70% of total electricity generation by 2050 is almost impossible, should we see how other countries respond and make early adjustments?
Listen: Please listen to the suggestions and advice of the business community, the business community representatives unanimously believe that the government's national energy policy must be reviewed, in the energy structure should not exclude nuclear energy, even if the four nuclear power, at least to consider a new generation of nuclear energy, will be listed as an option.
[3] Has the government listened?
[This article is not finished, please see the full content of "North American intellectual rights" 317: "energy series report" why many countries decided to re-nuclear arms?
* If you would like to reprint this article, please contact the North American Intellectual Property Journal
[For details, please refer to North American Intellectual Property Journal No. 317; welcome to subscribe to North American Intellectual Property Journal e-newsletter.]
Reference Materials:
Nuclear Power and Secure Energy Transitions, International Energy Agency, IEA Publications, June 2022
The official report of The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission, The National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission, 2012.
Remarks:
1.
The official report of The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission, The National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission, 2012.
2.
Gal is a unit of acceleration.
3.
Taiwan ’ s energy structure business sector: options for a new generation of nuclear energy, Business Times Tam Shu-chen 2022.06.26
Extended reading
Russian missile strikes nuclear power plant again! Ukraine: Less than 300 meters from reactor
75% of French support nuclear energy
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Why do many countries decide to reinvest in nuclear power?
Recently, a number of countries that originally supported the decommissioning of nuclear plants have turned around and announced that they will extend the operation of their domestic nuclear plants. Not only that, but they will also invest tens of billions of dollars to create more large and small nuclear reactors.
That ’ s all because nuclear energy can effectively solve two of the world ’ s biggest crises: energy and climate change.
The energy crisis and climate change can be said to bring a breakthrough development opportunity for nuclear energy, the former to pursue energy diversity, the latter to pursue net zero emissions, and known as the best efficiency of green energy of nuclear energy of course become one of the mandatory items when formulating energy policies in many countries.
However, these major powers, including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and South Korea, have frozen their investment in nuclear power plants due to public doubts about nuclear safety caused by the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant earthquake, so that the relevant technology to build nuclear power plants has been surpassed by Russia and China.
However, this has not hindered the determination of many countries to restart nuclear power, on the road to a nuclear-free homeland, should the Chinese government also stop, look, listen?
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Content: What is the response of Germany, which has long pushed for nuclear abolition, to the EU proposal that “nuclear energy is considered green energy ”?
Photo Credit: Reuters
What we want you to know is
At the beginning of the new year, a proposal by the European Commission on the so-called energy classification has provoked criticism and heated discussion.
According to the draft, investing in natural gas and nuclear power under certain conditions will be considered as investing in sustainable green energy.
How will the German three-party coalition government react to the proposal?
Text: Voice of Germany Chinese Network
At the beginning of the year, it was announced that it wanted to list nuclear energy produced under certain conditions as “green ” energy.
According to the proposal, investments in new nuclear power plants should be classified as “green investments ” if they meet the latest technical standards.
Specifically, the European Commission has recommended that new nuclear power station permits issued before 2045 should fall within the scope of the so-called classification regulations, and their construction can be subsidized accordingly.
In addition, the operator must submit an operational plan for the HREW facility no later than 2050.
If the European Commission ’ s proposal is implemented, it would be tantamount to recommending investment in nuclear power plants to the financial market.
The proposal is driven by France, which has traditionally relied heavily on nuclear power.
France holds the rotating presidency of the European Union for six months from 1 January 2022.
At the recent EU summit, 10 countries, including France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, called on the European Commission to recognize nuclear energy as a "sustainable" energy source and to include natural gas power plants in the "green" industry.
Otherwise, they say, they will not be able to meet their goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Germany's attitude.
German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, a Green Party politician, immediately criticized the proposal, calling it “completely wrong. ”
She said that nuclear energy could lead to environmental disasters and large amounts of nuclear waste, and that the EU ’ s move is creating a huge danger, skewing investment towards dangerous nuclear energy, thus affecting investment in truly futuristic, sustainable energy.
She also believes that the inclusion of natural gas in green energy is also problematic. Lemke said Germany will quickly review the EU proposal and negotiate with the EU.
Robert Habeck, co-chair of the German Green Party and Federal Minister for Economy and Climate, called the plan “green washing ” and a“ good label for sustainability ”. At the end of 2021, Germany closed three more nuclear power plants as planned, and only the last three are still in operation in Germany.
The three plants will also be closed by the end of this year. In 2011, German Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to withdraw from nuclear power after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan.
Germany ’ s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, recently said that the commission ’ s proposal “should not be overestimated ” and that member states could still decide on their own path to an emissions-free future.
He noted that Germany ’ s plan to close its last nuclear power plant in 2022 would remain unchanged.
However, there are also voices within the German government that have expressed some support for the European Commission ’ s proposal.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, said he was positive in principle about the European Commission's proposal to list natural gas power plants as green energy.
Germany, he said, actually needs modern gas-fired power plants as a transitional source of energy “because we ’ re giving up coal and nuclear power. ”
Wolfgang Kubicki, deputy chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, said that we must agree in a three-party coalition on how to balance emissions reduction targets with ensuring energy supply.
He also said, "If you only accept the decision that is right for you, then he is not a good European."
Austria threatens to file suit
The European Commission ’ s plan to classify some nuclear and natural gas as green energy has also been strongly opposed by Austria.
Austria ’ s climate protection minister, Leonore Gewessler, criticized the European Commission for wanting to push the plan through “Operation Night Mist. ”
He said Austria would file a lawsuit if the European Commission actually carried out the plans.
“Because nuclear power is an outdated technology, its dangers to people and the environment have been clearly documented. ” In addition, the cost of nuclear power plants to help us deal with the climate crisis is too high and too slow, so there is no future.
Countries opposed to "green nuclear energy" are in the majority within the European Union.
In addition to Germany and Austria, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Baltic states are also opposed to “greenwashing ” nuclear energy.
However, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pointed out that to prevent the European Commission from adopting the planned energy classification standard, at least 20 of the 25 EU members will need to vote against it.
In light of this, the European Commission ’ s designation of nuclear power as “green energy ” may ultimately be unstoppable.
But until then, countries opposed to “green nuclear power ” will not easily compromise.
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However, the opposition to nuclear power is a core issue for the Green Party, and the Fukushima accident changed Germany's nuclear energy policy.

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Content: Read the history of the moment: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power? | German News | DW | 14.04.2023
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Read the history of the present: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power?
Germany was proud of its nuclear power generation technology, but at the same time the technology has been so controversial that it has finally decided that April 15, 2023 is the date of withdrawal from nuclear power.
However, as the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war continues to intensify, the wisdom of the decision to say goodbye to nuclear energy has been widely discussed.
Germany ’ s nuclear policy is in dispute again
It all started with an "egg" - Germany's first nuclear reactor in Garching, near Munich, went into operation in October 1957.
Because the nuclear reactor, which belongs to the University of Munich, resembles an egg, it is nicknamed the "atomic egg".
It was a milestone in Germany's nuclear energy research and a symbol of Germany's resurgence after World War II.
The nuclear reactor, which was used for scientific purposes, remained in operation until 2000.
In 1957, Germany built its first nuclear reactor.
Three years later, in 1960, the first nuclear power plant for civilian use was built in the city of Kahl, on the banks of the Main River in Bavaria.
At that time, atomic energy was widely regarded as both safe and reliable. The 1973 oil crisis gave further impetus to the rapid development of nuclear energy in Germany.
The start of the anti-nuclear movement
Since it has been impossible to find a foolproof way to store nuclear waste, opponents have begun to question whether nuclear energy is really a clean energy source.
Thousands of protesters clashed with police during the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Shihe.
Since the 1970s, plans for the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant have triggered numerous police and civil conflicts.
"Nuclear energy? No, thank you!" has become a rallying cry for environmentalists.
In the 1980s, a new political party, the Green Party, emerged in West Germany. Its members are mainly leftists, pacifists, environmentalists and anti-nuclear forces. In 1983, the Green Party entered the Bundestag.
In 1983, Green Party politicians Gert Bastian and Petra Kelly were elected to the Bundestag.
On March 28, 1979, a serious accident occurred at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, United States. On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Soviet Union, exploded, causing the worst nuclear disaster in history.
Radiation clouds spread throughout Europe.
The accident also marked a turning point in discussions about nuclear technology in Germany.
At the time, Germany was still divided.
In East Germany under the Communist Party, the public received almost no information about the nuclear accident and its effects.
West Germany, on the other hand, was in a state of confusion and politicians were helpless.
People were unprepared for a nuclear leak, and the government was unable to provide guidelines and response strategies for the time being.
A hastily formed crisis management team was also disbanded shortly afterwards.
The Chernobyl nuclear accident has caused widespread concern in Germany.
People are buying iodine.
A large quantity of fruit, vegetables and milk in the supermarket was ordered to be removed from the shelves because of concerns about nuclear radiation.
Children were banned from playing in the sand pools and citizens were warned not to go out in the rain.
Although the health effects of radiation were not detected in Germany, the accident led to the introduction of nationwide radiation monitoring in Germany, which eventually led to the establishment of the Federal Ministry of the Environment.
Plans to build a nuclear waste treatment plant in the Bavarian town of Wackersdorf have sparked serious riots.
The clashes left several protesters and civil servants dead and hundreds injured.
The project was finally halted in 1989, the first major victory of the German environmental movement.
And...
In 2011, protesters handcuffed themselves to the tracks in an attempt to block trains carrying nuclear waste.
Meanwhile, in northern Germany, Gorleben in Lower Saxony became a symbol of the struggle against nuclear waste, and the town was designated to temporarily store nuclear waste until a permanent storage site was identified.
The first shipment of nuclear waste arrived in the town on 24 April 1995.
A long farewell to nuclear power - Germany's nuclear withdrawal process after many setbacks
In 2001, Schroeder's center-left coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party reached an agreement with major energy companies to phase out nuclear power.
All 19 nuclear power plants in Germany have been given operating timelines and the last one is required to be shut down by 2021.
In 2001, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced that Germany would phase out nuclear power generation.
In 2010, the center-right government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel withdrew the nuclear withdrawal agreement.
It also decided to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants.
However, the third major nuclear accident in the world has caused a change in Germany's nuclear energy policy. On March 11, 2011, the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami.
The impact of the accident on Germany is even greater than that of Japan.
As a veteran physicist, German Chancellor Angela Merkel unexpectedly changed her usual stance on nuclear energy policy.
Merkel suddenly announced that the era of nuclear power in Germany will end by the end of 2022. On July 30, 2011, the German Bundestag voted to approve the resolution.
After years of fierce fighting, the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Ishih will finally become history in 2021 after 35 years of operation.
In 2017, Germany decided to start a nationwide search for a safe place to store highly radioactive nuclear waste, with the mission to be completed by 2031.
At the end of 2021, anti-nuclear activists celebrated the closure of a nuclear power plant in North Germany.
Rethinking the nuclear policy.
The war in Ukraine has made Germany anxious to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, which has also reignited the already ironclad policy of denuclearization.
The coalition leader has spearheaded a proposal to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants to replace natural gas from Russia with nuclear power.
In August 2022, CDU Chairman Meltz and CSU Chairman Soder both put forward the idea of extending the time limit for nuclear power operations.
Christian Lindner, finance minister of the business-oriented Liberal Democratic Party (FDP), immediately backed a return to nuclear power.
His party is junior partner in a centre-left coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens.
The latter will find it difficult to agree to an extension because opposition to nuclear power is one of their core issues.
But in the summer of 2022, no one in Germany completely ruled out that possibility.
LDP finance minister Lindner, who is focused on business interests, was also quick to join the pro-nuclear camp.
But for the Green Party, which is also part of the ruling coalition, the possibility of agreeing to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants is slim, because opposition to nuclear power is their basic principle.
Anything is possible in Germany in 2022.
Can nuclear power be a climate savior?
Editor: This article was originally published in August 2022
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The German government pays dividends on nuclear power plant extensions to the national treasury, and the nuclear fuel tax was increased to 2.3 billion euros per year.

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Content: ● Talk from the beginning
In October 1973, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, led by Saudi Arabia, imposed a embargo on countries supporting Israel with oil as a weapon. The embargo lasted until March 1974, when the global price of oil rose by nearly 300%, from $3 per barrel to nearly $12.
Recognizing the importance of stable energy supply and price, many countries have begun to develop nuclear power.
In that era, the development of nuclear energy in Germany and France went hand in hand. Both countries imported nuclear power technology from the United States, and both established independent nuclear power industries.
In 1979, the Three Mile Island accident in the United States did not change the Social Democratic Party's support for nuclear energy in Germany at the time, and then the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Russia caused a major impact on Germany's nuclear energy policy. In August 1986, the Social Democratic Party passed a bill to abandon nuclear power within 10 years, Germany terminated the development plan for new reactors, and power companies dared not plan to build a nuclear power plant. Merchants.
Overall, the passage of the Act did not affect the operation of the nuclear power plants in transit in Germany, with a capacity of 20,339 and 20,583,000 megawatts in 23 years from 1986 to 2009, and a further 22.9 million megawatts in 1989.
In other words, the ruling party in Germany recognized the importance of nuclear power to the country ’ s economic development and did not implement the nuclear abolition bill hastily passed in August 1986 under the anti-nuclear passion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in Russia.
Obviously, the non-nuclear file, can only say, can not be done.
Non-nuclear weapons are a bargaining chip for political power
In October 1998, the Social Democratic Party and the Green Party organized a joint government and began to discuss a non-nuclear timetable with power companies. The Green Party, a small party with ideological leadership and national recognition of only 6.7%, changed the national energy policy through the power to gain the leadership of energy policies that are closely related to national security.
The assumption of power by political parties recognized by more people is the basic tenet of the operation of democratic politics.
When, in order to gain political power, different political parties used coalitions to lead to the opinions of the minority and hostage the understanding of the majority, is this the normal state of democratic politics?
Ridiculous, even more pathetic!
After numerous and varied threats, the coalition government and the power companies reached an agreement in late 2000.
The key point of the agreement is that the government will allow the units in operation at the time to continue operating until the cumulative generation of 2,623 billion kWh, equivalent to an average useful life of the units of 32 years (the power company originally expected 36 years), and that Germany will be non-nuclear by 2022.
The government is committed to ensuring the smooth operation of the nuclear power plant and the disposal of nuclear waste without political interference. In June 2001, the “Red Green ” coalition government signed an agreement with four power companies.
The agreement clearly stipulates that Germany will no longer build nuclear power plants and allow the temporary storage of used nuclear fuel at the site.
Based on the cap on nuclear power generation, a less cost-effective unit was stopped in 2003 and 2005, with a installed capacity of 640,000 MW and 340,000 MW, respectively, and it operated for 31 and 36 years.
In addition, a unit with a capacity of 1.22 million megawatts was built in 1986 on the banks of the Rhine. The unit was discontinued in 1988 due to anti-nuclear protests, and its power company abandoned the unit in 2003 to begin decommissioning work. Two units with a capacity of 771,000 megawatts and 1.26 million megawatts were suspended in 2007 and 2009, respectively, for 30 years and 25 years.
These two units are boiling water reactors, which are different from the mainstream pressurized water reactors in Germany.
Germany ’ s non-nuclear decision in 2000 was a pragmatic compromise that quelled the protests of anti-nuclear groups, kept the plant running smoothly, and provided the government with enough time to think about national energy policy.
An industrial leader reminded the government that reliable and affordable energy is an important part of Germany ’ s economic policy.
Opposition leaders in Congress said there was a chance they would change the decision.
The expectation of power companies is to increase the average operating year of all nuclear power units from 32 to 40 years, and then to 60 years depending on the situation of individual units.
● New opportunities brought about by the change
In September 2009, the new coalition government of the Christian Democrats and the Liberal Party announced plans to withdraw the "non-nuclear policy".
At this time, Germany still has 17 operational nuclear power units, but one is in a long-term state of decommissioning.
If all the units can be extended from the original agreed 32 years of operation to 60 years, it is estimated that the additional profit of the power company will be 100 billion euros, and the government must take a share, let alone 50 billion euros.
Financial negotiations took a year to complete.
The new nuclear policy allows for 40 years of operation (an additional 8 years) for units that were negotiated before 1980, and 14 years for units that were negotiated after 1980.
The government pays dividends on the extension of nuclear power plants to the national treasury under various taxes, donations and surcharges.
For example, the tax on nuclear fuel based on the weight of nuclear fuel used is increased to 2.3 billion euros per year, equivalent to 0.016 euros per kilowatt-hour.
In order to supplement the development of renewable energy, we will provide 300 million euros each in 2011 and 2012, 200 million euros each from 2013 to 2016, and 0.009 euros per nuclear power generation after 2016. The funds will also fund a recovery plan for a waste salt mine that is disposed of from nuclear waste.
Germany ’ s policy of abandoning nuclear energy has officially turned a corner.
• Planning does not change
On March 15, 2011, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that the new nuclear energy policy adopted only four months ago was suspended for three months. At the same time, seven units that had been negotiated before 1980 were immediately shut down. This represents a decrease of 8,336 MW, or 6.4% of the total installed capacity.
In May 2011, the German regulatory authority issued a statement saying that after various assessments, all German nuclear power units are in good condition and there are no concerns about their safety.
Despite this, the German government announced on May 30 that under pressure from anti-nuclear local governments, it will return to its original non-nuclear policy and close all nuclear power plants by 2022. At the end of June and July 8, the German House of Representatives and the Senate respectively passed decrees to expand wind power generation in response to the shutdown of nuclear power plants, while agreeing to build coal-fired power plants and gas plants without changing carbon reduction targets.
In order to solve the problem of insufficient baseload power after the nuclear power plant is stopped, electricity will be imported from France, Russia and Poland.
It ’ s all about non-nuclear policy.
Some nuclear power plants have been forced to shut down, but the nuclear power plants that continue to operate still have to pay various heavy taxes according to the 2011 revision of the Atomic Energy Law. Tax rebates of €6.3 billion between 2011 and 2016 and the suspension of tax on nuclear fuel.
The nuclear fuel tax was abolished at the end of 2016. In order to avoid the nuclear fuel tax, the fuel exchange time of five German units was postponed to January 2017, and a total of 8 billion kWh of power generation was lost from mid-December to the end of February 2016.
After 10 years of litigation, the government reached a settlement with four power companies for a total amount of 4.8 billion euros.
This amount of money is the most direct price of policy repetition.
In response to nuclear waste, in order to maintain a stable power supply, the huge investment in power generation and transmission systems is a heavier burden on society.
In May 2011, the German power grid department warned that the closure of nuclear power plants will lead to insufficient baseload power generation capacity, and renewable energy generation facilities are scattered, and renewable energy rich areas and power consumption areas are at a distance, requiring transmission networks.
The lack of power transmission capacity will make the grid fragile and unreliable, and the stability of the grid is facing great challenges. In May 2012, Germany announced a 10-year plan to expand and strengthen the grid, with a total of 26 transmission projects, with a total investment of 10 billion euros.
Germany calls the policy of increasing the proportion of renewable energy generation and phasing out nuclear energy as Energiewende (energytransition), an appropriate translation is also our slogan, "energy transition"!
For the public, the direct cost of the energy transition is that household electricity prices are the second highest in Europe and the highest in Denmark.
According to statistics, in December 2021, the price of domestic electricity in Germany was 80% higher than that of France.
Electricity prices in Germany
The electricity market in Germany is completely liberalized, and power companies sell electricity generated by various forms of electricity generation in the wholesale market. The price of electricity in the wholesale market is open information, which allows power companies to obtain electricity from the wholesale market and transmit it to consumers through the electricity network.
Taxes paid by different types of consumers are also different.
Due to various measures to reward renewable energy, distorting the market mechanism, the German wholesale electricity price is lower than other countries, and sometimes even negative, 298 hours of wholesale electricity price is negative in 2019 and 139 hours in 2021.
The average wholesale price of electricity in the German electricity market is 0.03767 euros / kWh in 2019, 0.03047 euros / kWh in 2020, and 0.09685 euros / kWh in 2021. The average price in the first half of the year is 0.054 euros / kWh, rising to 0.1380 euros / kWh in the second half of the year.
As shown in the attached figure, the Russian-Ukrainian war caused a surge in gas prices, which had a huge impact on electricity prices in Germany; in July 2022, the high price of 0.3153 euros per degree was 6.4 times that of January 2019!
The price of electricity for domestic or small commercial use in Germany is very high.
Look at the price structure of electricity for German households.
Germany ’ s household electricity price in 2006 was 0.1946 euros per kWh. It rose to 0.3216 euros per kWh in 2021, and has reached 0.3714 euros in 2022. In 2021, more than half of Germany ’ s household and small business electricity price burden came from additional taxes or fees due to energy policies. 16% is a sales tax, 20% of the renewable energy surcharge is paid to the renewable energy industry, 6% of the electricity tax (also known as the ecological tax), and there are three smaller surcharges.
If so, why not in the first place?
In 2010, Germany had 17 nuclear power units with a total installed capacity of more than 20 million megawatts, accounting for about 15% of the total installed capacity. In 2010, the total generation capacity was 133 billion kWh, accounting for about 25% of the total generation capacity. At the end of 2011, there were 9 nuclear power units with a total installed capacity of 12 million megawatts.
Compared to 1990, the total installed capacity was 1.3 times, but the power generation increased by only 11%.
Wind and photovoltaics account for nearly half of the installed capacity, but only 28% of the generation.
Nuclear power plant capacity accounted for only 4.1%, but power generation accounted for 12.4%. In 2021, three nuclear power units were shut down, and there are only three units in operation, with a total installed capacity of 4.055 million megawatts, accounting for less than 2%, and the total power generation may be about 6%. Can the economy afford to shut down the remaining three nuclear plants in 2022?
According to a news report on August 18, "Germany is facing an energy shortage crisis this winter and has planned to delay the closure of the country's last three nuclear power plants."
The decision has not yet been formally adopted by Prime Minister Bernard Shaw and may need to be passed by parliament. Details are still being discussed and a cabinet resolution will have to wait weeks for an energy demand assessment to come out, but officials believe the results are already known, according to three officials.
According to online data, Germany has eight decommissioned units that have not been in service for 40 years, and if the international consensus is that nuclear power units can be used for at least 60 years, the extension of these units can significantly reduce the dependence on imported natural gas.
It remains to be seen whether the shift in German nuclear policy will extend to these eight units.
● Other Mountain Stone
Looking at Taiwan ’ s electricity situation, the schedule summarizes Taiwan ’ s electricity data for 2019 and 2021, which can be compared with Germany ’ s data for 2019. Germany ’ s total installed capacity and total power generation in 2019 are 4.1 times and 2.2 times that of Taiwan, respectively.
The average capacity factor for electrical equipment in Germany is 30% and in Taiwan it is 56%.
Renewable energy cannot generate electricity all the time, and when the installed capacity is large, the average capacity factor will be low.
But there are other factors, in 2019, Germany ’ s natural gas installation capacity of 46 million megawatts, generating 90.8 billion kWh; Taiwan is 17.57 million megawatts and 91.2 billion kWh; the installed capacity is only 38% of Germany ’ s, but the power generation is equivalent.
Germany ’ s electricity grid is part of the European continent ’ s electricity grid, and data can be found on the network. In 2020, Germany exported 66.39 billion kWh of electricity and imported 48.05 billion kWh. About 20% of Germany ’ s domestic electricity production is exchanged with other countries.
If the exchange is not possible, it is necessary to abandon electricity when the amount of renewable energy generation exceeds the amount of electricity used or the capacity of the grid; when the renewable energy generation is insufficient, more dispatchable units are needed.
Renewable energy generation must be coupled with a power generation facility that can be scheduled, so that the power grid can be stable.
When the capacity of renewable energy installations is large, the capacity of the installations with the power generation facilities that can be adjusted will also increase.
The average capacity factor of German natural gas units is only 15%.
In other words, Germany ’ s natural gas unit is idle 85% of the time, isn ’ t that the cost of renewable energy?
When renewable energy must have a total installed capacity of 12.7 million megawatts (54.8%) of renewable energy (wind, light, water, and waste) with a capacity of 255.1 billion kWh (41.9%); the installed capacity is 16.3 times that of Taiwan ’ s 7.8 million megawatts in 2019, and the power generation capacity is 16.8 times that of Taiwan ’ s share is only 5.6%. Degrees.
From the number of renewable energy generation, Taiwan really can not be compared with Germany, but can we really develop to the realm of Germany?
Germany ’ s territory covers an area of 357,622 square kilometers, 9.9 times Taiwan ’ s 35,980 square kilometers.
Simply estimate the amount of renewable energy generated per square kilometer of land in Germany is only 1.7 times that of Taiwan.
In other words, if Taiwan ’ s renewable energy development can be as good as Germany ’ s, our renewable energy generation capacity can be doubled again! Is that enough? What does the rest rely on? Petrified fuels? Taiwan ’ s use of fossil fuels for power generation is 82.0% in 2019 and 83.3% in 2021. What should we do about the reduction of greenhouse gases? Energy can be developed, hydrogen is an energy carrier, not energy, that is, hydrogen production still depends on other sources of energy.
The Germans can ’ t take the risk, we don ’ t see it.
Germany's nuclear energy policy is all caused by natural gas, on the one hand, the source is cut off, on the other hand, the natural gas shortage caused by the soaring price of fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels account for 46.3% of Germany ’ s electricity generation, and the rise in wholesale electricity prices has been alarming. The German government has revised its nuclear energy policy once again in order to spread the risk of excessive reliance on natural gas.
In Taiwan, fossil fuel power generation accounted for 83.3% in 2021, can the impact on electricity prices be lighter than in Germany?
You can't see that Taiwan Power Company is expected to have a loss of 200 billion yuan this year, and CNOOC is also in the tens of billions!
The government is afraid to adjust the price of electricity and natural gas for fear of affecting the election.
A few days ago, the media reported that the government has compiled a budget to directly eliminate the deficit.
Do they still have the law in their eyes?
If the government respects the results of the 2018 referendum on nuclear and green energy, and four years ago it began to promote the renewal of the licenses of the four nuclear companies to transfer and operate China's power plants, Taiwan will pay a lot less in this wave of soaring fossil fuel prices.
A while ago, the military exercise across the strait, it can be seen that it is rehearsing to block Taiwan, if it is really blocked in the future, our natural gas stocks can stand for a few days! Our government seems to be old in the ground is not proper, still clinging to the god of the non-nuclear homeland, refusing to open their eyes to see the latest international energy trends.
After Germany abandoned its non-nuclear policy, the only countries in the world that have used nuclear energy, only Taiwan has a non-nuclear timetable, China, the United States, France, Japan, South Korea and India, etc., are building or planning new nuclear power plants.
The Taiwanese government should wake up.
Those who pretend to sleep cannot wake up, so let us spit on those who stand in line with those who pretend to sleep!
With the election looming, let ’ s ask the candidates whether they support nuclear power?
If not, ask him to tell you where Taiwan's energy policy should go, how Taiwan meets the requirements of international carbon reduction, what to do when Taiwan is short of power, and who pays when electricity prices surge? (The author is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Systems Science, National Tsing Hua University)
※ The above statements do not represent the position of Wangzhong Media Group ※
# Germany # Unit # Electricity # Euro # Nuclear

The household electricity price in Germany rose to 0.3714 euros per kWh in 2022, and renewable energy accounts for nearly half of Germany's installed capacity.

Nuclear power plant capacity accounted for 4.1% of installed capacity but 12.4% of power generation in Germany.

The extension of nuclear power plants would have an impact on the safety and efficiency of the plants, and it would also affect the German energy market.

The decision to extend the operation of nuclear power plants is based on clear facts and is expected to be made within a few weeks.

The stress test of the German electric power system is underway, and the German gas storage facilities are filled better than before.

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Content: Scholz approved the extension of the life of nuclear power plants in Germany
Photo: Depositphotos
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has spoken out in support of extending the life of the country ’ s last nuclear power plants.
He said that this “makes sense ” because of the reduction of gas supplies from Russia, which increases the prospect of an energy crisis this winter.
According to Spiegel, the three stations, which are scheduled to close later this year, make up only a small part of Germany ’ s total electricity capacity.
They are watching now
“But it might still make sense to let them work longer, ” he said.
Scholz notes that the authorities will draw conclusions based on the stress test of the German electric power system, which is now underway, after which a decision will be made on further actions.
The Chancellor added that the German gas storage facilities are filled better than in previous years, and also said that the planned new liquefied gas terminals should be operational from the end of the year, which will significantly improve Germany ’ s ability to import gas regardless of Russia ’ s actions.
The issue of Germany ’ s continued operation of nuclear power plants became a bone of contention among the three parties of the ruling coalition.
So, the Free Democrats want nuclear power plants to work longer.
The Social Democrats of Scholz and the Greens opposed it.
However, the chancellor believes that the government has rethought what is happening.
According to him, some German states, for example, Bavaria, will probably have to allow their nuclear plants to work longer, because they are behind in the construction of wind farms and new electricity grids.
Germany is also reportedly exporting electricity to France, which has had to shut down several of its nuclear power plants for technical reasons.
In Germany, this is an important contribution to European solidarity.
Last year, Germany shut down three of its six nuclear power plants.
They were going to stop the work of the remaining stations by the end of this year - this decision was made under Angela Merkel, after the Japanese Fukushima accident in a powerful earthquake in 2011.
Source: Spiegel
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New liquefied gas terminals will be operational by the end of the year, and Germany exports electricity to France due to solidarity.

The German energy market is coping with the loss of nuclear energy, but it is still facing challenges due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Extending the operation of nuclear power plants in Germany could provide economic breathing space, especially in the face of a possible Russian gas outage, which could shrink the German economy by 12%.

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Content: Russia threatens to cut natural gas supplies, sparking debate over extension of German nuclear power plant
FRANKFURT, April 23 (AFP) German government economic adviser Jens Grimm said today that Germany should extend the service life of its nuclear power plants to avoid "extreme conditions" and that Russia's suspension of natural gas supplies could cause the German economy to shrink by 12%.
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Veronika Grimm, a member of the German government ’ s Council of Economic Advisers, told Funke Media that extending the service life of nuclear reactors currently in operation in Germany might “provide some breathing space. ”
After the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan, Germany decided to phase out nuclear power, and the last three nuclear plants in the country will be decommissioned by the end of this year.
In extreme cases, the German economy could shrink by as much as 12 percent if Russia cut gas supplies.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the Muenchener Merkur newspaper on Wednesday that it would be "unworkable" to keep the plants running.
Conservative Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder, who also pushed for the plant ’ s extension, said this week that it was “of course ” possible.
But the boss of the German energy company RWE, which runs one of the three nuclear plants currently in service, told Die Welt that it was “too late ”.
Apart from safety issues, he said, the issue of access to fuel rods is also an obstacle to the operation of these plants after the end of this year.

The German government has considered extending the life of the three remaining nuclear plants, which account for 6% of the country's electricity production.

However, the extension of nuclear plants faces safety and fuel access issues, with limited fuel rods hindering the extension of nuclear plant life.

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Content: Russia cuts off natural gas supply to Germany to discuss extending nuclear power plant life
Author: Fang Yimei
Published: Updated:
French media said on June 23 that Russia may cut off natural gas supply to Western countries, German people discussed extending the use of domestic nuclear power plants to cope with this situation. However, the views of all parties are divided.
Veronika Grimm, a member of the German government ’ s Council of Economic Advisers, said on the 23rd that in extreme circumstances, Russia cutting off natural gas supplies to Germany may cause the German economy to shrink by 12%.
She said extending the life of Germany's nuclear power plants would give the country some breathing room.
German government officials differ from Grimm.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday that the continued use of nuclear power plants "will not work."
A spokesman for the German economy ministry said at a press conference on Tuesday that the continued use of nuclear power plants beyond the end of 2022 was “not an option at the moment ”, especially for“ safety reasons. ”
German energy company RWE currently operates one of Germany ’ s still operating nuclear plants. RWE ’ s boss said it was “too late ” to extend the life of the German plant until now.
He said that in addition to safety concerns, the limited supply of fuel rods is also an obstacle to extending the life of Germany ’ s nuclear power plants.
After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in Japan in 2011, Germany decided to abandon the use of nuclear power generation, and the three remaining nuclear plants in the country will cease operation by the end of 2022.
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The cost of extending the operation of nuclear power plants in Germany is estimated to be around 100 million euros, with maintenance costs at individual plants such as "Isar 2" reaching 50 million euros.

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Content: Despite his opponents...
Europe 'chooses' nuclear power to pass harsh winter
Europeans suffering from a severe energy crisis will set a date with a historic test this winter, with the first attack of the cold, in a way that cannot be trusted.
The old continent has experienced an unusual warmth in recent weeks, which slightly eased the pressure on its decision-makers, but it soon found itself faced with the consequences of a drought crisis like no other in Europe in 500 years.
The European Commission said in its latest report that it was the worst drought in five centuries, warning of the risks and major environmental losses caused by it.
The most prominent of these losses affected the production of nuclear energy, the strength of electricity in Europe today, and the alternative solution sought by some countries in light of the energy crisis with Russia.
Although European nuclear power has been the biggest sponsor of the rupture in German-French relations, it is now seen as a solution to the electricity crisis.
New countries are also seeking accreditation, such as Poland, which two days ago opted for a US offer to build its first nuclear power plant.
At the same time, the countries that possess this energy are seeking to increase and strengthen their reactors, undeterred by the opposition of peoples and voices calling for renewable energy.
Germany and the return to nuclear
In Germany, work has begun on two nuclear reactors that were due to be shut down by the end of this year, in line with the country ’ s plan to graduate from nuclear power.
The project will cost around 100 million euros and will be operational after December.
This comes at a time when the nuclear power plant "Isar 2" plans to carry out maintenance at a cost of about 50 million euros, and the preparatory work at the nuclear plant "Neckaroisthaim-2" will cost a similar amount.
The shutdown of nuclear power plants was one of the most prominent demands of the German people in recent demonstrations in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hannover, Stuttgart, Dresden and Frankfurt, especially supporters of the Green Party and supporters of the transition to green energy.
Kenzbendit, 29, said: “We Greens have been fighting nuclear power in Germany for decades, in the streets and now in the government.
Kensbendit told Erm News: "We do not know how the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Environment was deceived and delayed for months in order to prevent the extension of German nuclear power plants."
The young man who participated in the recent demonstrations added that "energy policy is not really for politicians, because they think and work to implement their political agendas, but energy policy is always long-term, and granting the tasks of the Environmental Self-Awareness Squad to the Ministry of Economy is illogical.
"The extension of the work at the nuclear power plant is incredible, disregarding and insulting the demands of the people, and will make Germany" ridiculous "all over the world," he said.
Paris turns its back on the environment
France is the world ’ s largest producer of nuclear energy, generating 70 percent of its electricity from 56 nuclear reactors and exporting to neighboring countries.
Nuclear reactors in France have suffered and half of them have been shut down due to malfunctions or drought, causing electrical output to fall to its lowest level in 30 years, and exports to fall by almost half, according to the latest government reports.
This led the French administration to increase the power of nuclear reactors and change the plan to gradually abandon nuclear reactors in favor of renewable sources such as the sun and wind.
The French move, analysts predict, will meet public anger and opposition from countries around the world seeking to combat climate change and calling for nuclear power to be replaced by other sources, in addition to the heavy financial burden on the French government.
It is well known that nuclear power is not practical in the economic sense, otherwise France would not need to nationalize EDF to be able to operate the reactors with government support.
Drought disrupts nuclear power
The drought crisis will significantly limit this planned expansion, according to data from nuclear reactor operators, because nuclear plants use large amounts of fresh water from rivers and lakes for cooling, and reduced river flows as a result of drought will reduce electricity generation at nuclear power plants.
According to French energy advisor Bernard Labonch, nuclear power is not only about the best way to generate electricity, but it is a historical legacy in France that is inextricably linked to nationalism, and it is taboo for any French citizen to advocate against nuclear power.
"If you want to get a job as an engineer or researcher in France you have to be a proponent of nuclear energy, so there are very few who openly criticize it," he said.
Thus, all indications are that nuclear energy will remain in France for decades to come, despite widespread public opposition and environmental warnings about the dangers posed by the water that nuclear power plants dump into rivers after they have used it for cooling, and the dangers it poses to ecosystems, fish and aquatic plants.
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On the other hand, extending nuclear plant operation to 60 years can generate a profit of 100 billion euros.

The economic benefits of extending nuclear power plant operation also include reducing reliance on coal and gas, which are more carbon-polluting energy sources.

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Content: Germany ’ s transport minister has called for the creation of an expert committee to examine whether the country ’ s nuclear power plants should be extended.
The move also sparked disagreements within the ruling coalition over nuclear power.
Since Russia ’ s invasion of Ukraine, Germany has tried to break away from its energy dependence and sparked discussions about the use of the country ’ s only three remaining nuclear power plants.
After the 311 earthquake in Japan, the Merkel government appealed for non-nuclear homes, which were scheduled to be completely decommissioned by the end of 2022.
Prime Minister Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has tried to pressure the dispute between the ruling Green Party and the Liberal Democratic Party (FDP).
The Greens have been pressing for a withdrawal from nuclear power, but the transport minister of the Liberal Democratic Party (FDP) has called for an extension of the plant ’ s life until at least April.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing said electric vehicles are not environmentally friendly unless they use zero-carbon nuclear power.
“We need an expert answer on how to ensure that we achieve our climate protection goals while having a stable and affordable energy supply, ” the minister said.
Critics of Germany ’ s withdrawal from nuclear power say it could force Germany to rely more on coal than expected during its transition to renewable energy.
Coal is more carbon polluting than natural gas.
The Green Party is strongly opposed to the resumption of Germany's nuclear power program, arguing that extending the use of nuclear power would be costly and that more could be achieved by developing renewable energy.
# Nuclear Power # Germany # Minister of Transport # Extension # Nuclear Power Plant

Nuclear power plants produce relatively little carbon dioxide, and atomic energy could help Germany meet its greenhouse gas targets and become "climate neutral" by 2045.

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Content: Saturday 28 Jumada I 1443 AH - 1 January 2022 |
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Germany shuts down half of its nuclear plants
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German authorities on Friday shut down half of its nuclear plants still in operation, a year before the end of their decades-old use.
The three reactors, Brockdorf, Gründe and Gündermpengben, were commissioned and now closed for the first time in the mid-1980s.
Together, they have provided electricity to millions of German homes for nearly four decades.
The center-left government of Gerhard Schroeder made the decision in 2002 to phase out nuclear power and switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy, but his successor, Angela Merkel, reversed its decision to extend the life of German nuclear plants in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan and set 2022 as the deadline for their closure.
Some in Germany have called for the decision to end the use of nuclear power to be reconsidered again because already operating power plants produce relatively little carbon dioxide.
Advocates of atomic energy argue that it could help Germany meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets.
The German government said this week that shutting down all nuclear plants next year and then phasing out coal use by 2030 would not affect the country ’ s energy security or its goal of making Europe ’ s largest economy “climate neutral ” by 2045.
The remaining three nuclear plants – Emsland, Essar and Neckarostheim – will be decommissioned by the end of 2022.

However, the Green Party opposes the extension of nuclear power due to the high costs involved.

Despite the opposition, public support for nuclear plants has grown amid the gas crisis, and some sectors of the German population are pushing to bring nuclear reactors back online.

In fact, Germany has already extended the life of its three nuclear reactors until April 15, 2023, in an effort to avoid an energy shortage crisis during the winter.

The extension of nuclear power plant operation can also help reduce the energy problem, but it is an expensive process.

Overall, the estimated costs and benefits of extending the operation of nuclear power plants in Germany suggest that it could be a viable option for reducing the country's reliance on fossil fuels and achieving its climate goals, despite the high costs and safety concerns involved.