Energy Crisis Puts Europe's 'Carbon Neutrality' to the Test... IEA Urges "Maintaining Nuclear Power Operation"

Face Birol IEA Secretary-General "Prepare for Full Suspension of Russian Gas Exports This Winter"
Lindner German Finance Minister "Not Opposed to Extending Lifespan of 3 Nuclear Reactors," Suggests Possible Nuclear Phase-Out Suspension
Green Party and Nuclear Operators Oppose... German Government at Crossroads Amid Ukraine War Variables

Christian Lindner, German Finance Minister
Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, European countries facing an energy crisis have put their carbon neutrality policies to the test. In Germany, which has declared the reactivation of coal-fired power plants, the possibility of extending the lifespan of nuclear power plants that were scheduled to be shut down has been raised. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned of the possibility of a complete halt in Russian gas supply and argued that nuclear power plants must be maintained.

On the 22nd (local time), the IEA urged Europe to maintain nuclear power plant operations as a countermeasure against the energy supply shortage.

Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director, said in a media interview that Russia might completely stop gas exports this winter, urging European countries to reduce gas demand and maintain nuclear power plant operations as countermeasures.

In this regard, Christian Lindner, Germany's Finance Minister, said at a conference held in Berlin the day before that he does not oppose extending the lifespan of the three nuclear power plants scheduled to be closed this year. This hinted at the possibility of postponing the nuclear phase-out policy.

Germany established a long-term nuclear phase-out plan after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011. It gradually reduced the number of operating nuclear power plants, and currently, only three remain. The remaining three are planned to be shut down by the end of this year to complete the nuclear phase-out policy.

However, with the outbreak of the Ukraine war, the question of whether sufficient energy can be secured without nuclear power plants has become a topic of debate. In response, Minister Lindner argued that since securing energy supply is urgent, the option of continuing nuclear power plant operations should also be considered.

Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom significantly reduced gas supply through the Nord Stream pipeline connecting Russia and Germany last week, citing maintenance reasons. Gazprom cut gas supply through Nord Stream by nearly 60%. The German government, facing an urgent situation, immediately prepared an emergency bill to reactivate coal-fired power plants on the 19th, right after Gazprom's announcement.

Steffi Lemke, German Minister of the Environment
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

However, whether Germany will postpone its nuclear phase-out policy and extend the lifespan of nuclear power plants as Minister Lindner suggested remains uncertain. Above all, the Green Party, which currently forms the German coalition government, opposes this. The Green Party actively supports nuclear and coal phase-out policies. At the Berlin conference, Minister Lindner also expressed opposition to the European Parliament's decision to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, but Steffi Lemke, the Green Party's Environment Minister, immediately rebutted, stating strong support for the European Parliament's decision.

Robert Habeck, the Economy Minister who announced the reactivation of coal-fired power plants, also emphasized that the reactivation is only a temporary measure and stressed that the plan to phase out coal by 2030 will be pursued without wavering. Minister Habeck is a co-leader of the Green Party.

Public opinion is also favorable to the Green Party. Recently, the Green Party's party support rate has surpassed that of the Social Democratic Party, which leads the coalition government, marking the highest level within the coalition.

Nuclear power plant operators have also expressed reluctance. They have already been proceeding with plans to shut down nuclear power plants according to the phase-out plan, and reversing this now is not easy considering technical and cost aspects.

Leo Burnbaum, CEO of E.ON, Germany's largest energy company operating the 'Isar 2' nuclear power plant near Munich, said in an interview last April, "There is no future for nuclear power in Germany," and stated that the nuclear power plants will be shut down as planned by the end of this year.

However, the final decision rests with the government, and ultimately, the Ukraine war could be a variable. If Russia completely cuts off gas supply as predicted by IEA Executive Director Birol, it cannot be ruled out that the German government will face a crossroads in decision-making.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.