The debate about extending the lifetime of nuclear power plants is in full swing.
(Photo: dpa)
It remains a mystery to this day why Olaf Scholz unnecessarily announced in October last year that April 15, 2023 was the end date for the use of nuclear energy in Germany. The last remaining reactors would then be switched off without any ifs or buts, said the Chancellor.
The apodictic announcement didn’t fit the situation then and it doesn’t fit the situation now: never before has the electricity system been as strained as it is now. There have recently been situations in which Germany would have been stuck without net imports from abroad. And this despite the fact that the demand for electricity had not reached its highest level and all power generation capacities were working at full capacity. Only the renewables delivered almost nothing due to a lack of wind and sun.
One might object that one of the achievements of the European internal energy market is that the exchange of electricity across national borders is becoming ever better. The goal is to help each other out.
In fact, the European internal energy market ensures more liquidity in the electricity market, lower prices and more stability. But it is not insurance for emergencies. And that has nothing to do with national egoism, but with the fact that in many countries the power generation capacities are scarce, even if this is also the case in Germany.
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That is why it is so important to have reliably calculable power plant capacity available. The federal government therefore made the right decision to temporarily activate closed coal-fired power plants. Ultimately, this proved to be a salvation. Secure power plant output has never been as valuable as it is today.
>> Read also: Long-running nuclear power plant terms – coalition argues about nuclear power
That shouldn’t apply only to nuclear power. The Greens systematically downplay the importance of nuclear power for the stability of the overall system. They are remarkably often emphasizing that the gas supply situation is much better today than it was a few weeks ago. The message behind it: In the coming winter we will be able to make ends meet even without the guaranteed power plant output of the nuclear reactors, because there is enough gas available to generate electricity.
But this calculation is negligently tight. What if not all LNG terminals come on stream as planned in the coming months? What happens if Chinese LNG demand picks up again?
The option should therefore at least be retained of keeping the three kilns as a reserve if necessary. The fact that the FDP and the Greens are now blaming each other instead of seeking compromise solutions is a sign of organized irresponsibility.
More: Electricity prices still high at the beginning of the year