BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Vice chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group Jens Spahn is insisting on continued operation of the three nuclear power plants still running in Germany at least until the end of 2024. "Energy prices are high because the supply is too low in Germany and Europe. So everything that can produce must be connected to the grid," the CDU politician told Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Berlin. He added that it must also be examined which of the three nuclear power plants that will be shut down on December 31, 2021, Grohnde, Gundremmingen C and Brokdorf, can be brought back online.

Currently, the Isar 2, Emsland and Neckarwestheim 2 nuclear power plants are still in operation. They were supposed to be shut down on December 31, 2022. However, because of the energy crisis, they are to continue running in a so-called temporary stretch operation until April 15 at the latest. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) wanted to make a government statement in the Bundestag on Thursday on the annual economic report 2023, which is not yet available.

The economy also needs stable and reliable energy, Spahn said. "Those nuclear power plants that are already on the grid can provide that cheaply, reliably and in a climate-neutral way." Referring to the lack of fuel elements, he added: "I'm very sure that if the German federal government and the energy suppliers together make an effort to obtain fuel elements, it will also be possible to obtain and order fuel elements for Germany within a few weeks."

In view of the mild winter, Spahn warned, his concern is "that some people will not want to see any further need for action now either, according to the motto 'It went quite well after all'." "But the hard part is still to come with next winter, after all, when we will have to fill the gas storage facilities once again." Everywhere around Germany, he said, "even unpopular measures are being taken to ensure security of supply. Only in Germany is the willingness to also do what is necessary manageably pronounced."

In the case of the controversial fracking, clarification is necessary, Spahn said. Therefore, he said, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group wants to discuss the possibilities and risks of fracking with experts in an open-ended manner on Feb. 28. Fracking is banned in Germany. The method involves extracting gas or oil from rock strata using pressure and fluids. This can pose risks to the environment. "The technology has evolved since the ban in Germany of ten years ago," Spahn said. He said he himself is not yet committed./bk/DP/zb