The German Chancellor admits that the closure of nuclear reactors has weakened energy security
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described Germany's exit from nuclear energy as a serious strategic mistake, reigniting the debate over long-term energy security, especially after the shutdown of the last nuclear power plants in the country in 2023.
Merz's statements came during an economic conference in the city of Halle in central Germany, where he criticized the energy policies of the previous government, emphasizing that the abandonment of nuclear energy weakened the German energy system and left the country with insufficient generation capacities.
Merz said that the Energiewende (energy transition) in Germany has become the most expensive in the world, noting that even if it is necessary to phase out nuclear energy, it would be better to keep the last reactors connected to the grid for several more years to ensure stability.
Germany had closed its last three nuclear reactors in 2023, ending decades of reliance on atomic energy. This decision came after years of declining public support for nuclear power and a strong political shift towards renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
However, this decision faced increasing criticism after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which caused a sharp rise in energy prices in Europe, prompting Germany to temporarily restart some coal plants, while several European countries began to reconsider nuclear energy as an alternative to Russian gas.
In Europe, nuclear energy is increasingly seen as a stable option to meet electricity demand. Poland plans to start building its first nuclear reactors in 2028, with commercial operations expected to begin in 2036, according to previous reports.
In this context, the German NTV channel reported that the European Commission approved Germany's plans to build gas-fired power plants to be used as a backup solution when renewable energy production declines. According to current goals, Germany aims to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and achieve complete carbon neutrality by 2045, according to ARD (the German public broadcasting corporation).