Germany blames France for expanding two nuclear power plants

Germany confirms its commitment to nuclear energy to tackle energy crisis. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck announced on Tuesday 27 September that two German nuclear power plants will be operational in the winter of 2023 as several French reactors become unavailable. To ensure energy supply in Germany, “Izar 2 power plant (near Munich) and Neckarwestheim (south-west) will be connected in the first quarter of 2023”due to “The situation in France is worse than expected”He said at a press conference in Berlin.

The Environment Minister is going further than planned a few weeks ago: on September 5, he announced that he wants to keep these two power plants ready until the spring of 2023 and use them for the last time. Energy emergency.

But based on the electricity outlook for the winter in France, presented on September 14, Robert Habeck assessed the situation as worse than expected so far. Driving the point home, he said “In the past, statements from the operator EDF have often turned out to be very positive”.

The decision to extend these two German power plants confirms an about-face already made on September 5 by the environment minister, whose party is historically deeply anti-nuclear. According to the nuclear phase-out schedule decided by Angela Merkel after the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011, Robert Habeck returned to the planned final shutdown at the end of 2022.