BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider has warned against a return to nuclear power. The SPD politician, who is also responsible for managing Germany's nuclear waste and the search for a final repository, stated in Berlin: "I get nothing but trouble, problems, and costs from it. It costs billions; it is the largest part of my budget, the core budget."
Jens Spahn, chairman of the Union parliamentary group, recently expressed openness to a discussion on restarting German nuclear power plants. "In any case, I believe we must have this debate as a society," the CDU politician told journalists on the sidelines of a research congress held by the Union faction. He pointed to studies suggesting that reactors decommissioned in recent years could be brought back online with investments of around nine to ten billion euros. Meanwhile, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) does not view a return to nuclear energy as a short-term path toward a better and more affordable energy supply in Germany.
Schneider emphasized: "I see no revival of nuclear energy in the world whatsoever." He noted that there are many requests for subsidies. "That is also the case within Europe. In other words, if you build a nuclear power plant, it is only with subsidies, only with state guarantees." Nuclear power plants are not insured, he added, citing high risks. Furthermore, it takes 20 or 25 years for a new nuclear plant to come online. "I cannot recommend that to anyone as a solution for today."
Regarding the current energy crisis, Schneider said Germany remains vulnerable to events in other countries. He argued that the goal is to become more independent by expanding renewable energies, power grids, and storage capacity. "That is the absolute main point, and for me, as Federal Environment Minister but also as a member of the SPD, it is central and non-negotiable."/hrz/DP/stw
