BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) stands behind the planned shutdown of Germany's last three nuclear power plants in a few days. "The nuclear phase-out as of April 15, this Saturday, is a done deal. And the chancellor has repeatedly stressed that," said deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann in Berlin on Wednesday. Shortly before the deadline, the FDP had insisted on still leaving the piles in reserve and not immediately dismantling them. "Let's at least not start dismantling immediately, but at least keep this reserve," FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr said Tuesday evening on ARD's "Tagesthemen."

According to the Environment Ministry, the question of a reserve operation does not arise. "There is a decision and it applies," a spokesman said Wednesday in Berlin. A reserve option would be illegal, he added. "After all, a nuclear power plant is not a garden shed that can be dismantled today or perhaps tomorrow; it is a highly complex process," the spokesman said. Operators would plan the dismantling years in advance.

On Saturday, the three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany are to be finally taken off the grid. Actually, this was supposed to happen at the end of last year. However, because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the energy crisis it triggered, the traffic light coalition decided last year to keep the reactors running through the winter./svv/DP/men