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Berlin: Germany has switched off its last three
nuclear reactors, marking its exit from atomic power. This decision comes as
Germany attempts to move away from fossil fuels and cope with an energy crisis
caused by the war in Ukraine. Although many countries are increasing their
investments in atomic energy, Germany is ending its nuclear age. The country
has been looking to phase out nuclear power since 2002, but this decision was
accelerated by former chancellor Angela Merkel in 2011 after the Fukushima
nuclear disaster in Japan.
The decision to exit from nuclear power was popular among the people of Germany, who were influenced by a powerful antinuclear movement that was stoked by lingering
fears of atomic disasters such as Chernobyl in Ukraine. Environment Minister
Steffi Lemke, who recently made a pilgrimage to the ill-fated Japanese plant
ahead of a G7 meeting in the country, stated that "the risks of nuclear
power are ultimately unmanageable." However, Germany's exit from nuclear
power has been challenged by the country's need to quickly cut emissions,
caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine which put an end to cheap gas imports.
Greenpeace, which has been at the heart of the antinuclear movement, organised a
celebratory party at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to mark the occasion,
saying "finally, nuclear energy belongs to history! Let's make this April
15 a day to remember." However, the conservative daily FAZ headlined its
Saturday edition "Thanks, nuclear energy," listing benefits it said
nuclear had brought to the country over the years.
Initially planned for the end of 2022, Germany's nuclear exit had already been pushed
back once. As Russian gas supplies dwindled last year, officials in Berlin were
left scrambling to find a way to keep the lights on, with a short extension
agreed until mid-April. Germany, the largest emitter in the European Union,
also powered up some of its mothballed coal-fuelled plants to cover the
potential gap left by gas.
The challenging energy situation had increased calls domestically for the exit from
nuclear to be delayed. Peter Adrian, the president of the German chambers of
commerce, said that Germany had to "expand the supply of energy and not
restrict it any further" in light of potential shortages and high prices.
The conservative leader of Bavaria, Markus Soeder, also expressed his desire
for the plants to stay online and three more to be kept "in reserve."
Climate activist Greta Thunberg slammed Germany's decision to exit nuclear
power while ramping up its coal usage as "a mistake."
The Isar 2 complex in Bavaria will be the last to shut down its reactor on Saturday,
severing it from the grid for good. Although Germany's exit from nuclear power
has faced challenges, the country remains committed to finding sustainable and
efficient ways to meet its energy needs while reducing carbon emissions.
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