Prolonged Russian Gas Supply Halt... Will Germany Ultimately Extend Nuclear Plant Lifespan?

German Ministry of Economy Changes Position "Second Evaluation Needed for Nuclear Plant Lifespan Extension"
EU Commission Likely to Recommend Nuclear Lifespan Extension as Gas Supply Crisis Measure

Robert Habeck, German Minister of Economy
Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] As Russia's gas supply suspension prolongs, it appears increasingly likely that the German government will revise its nuclear phase-out target schedule set for the end of this year.

On the 18th (local time), according to major foreign media, the German Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that it might extend the lifespan of the remaining three nuclear power plants.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs said a second investigation into the extension of nuclear power plant lifespans is necessary, leaving open the possibility of lifespan extension.

Earlier, right after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in March, the German Ministry of Economic Affairs, together with the Ministry of Environment, conducted a joint investigation and decided not to recommend extending the lifespan of nuclear power plants. At that time, the ministries concluded that lifespan extension was undesirable due to legal issues, licensing procedures, insurance costs, and a shortage of fuel rods required for nuclear plant operation.

However, with the reality of the prolonged suspension of Russian gas supply, it seems their stance has changed.

Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom halted operations of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline connecting Germany and Russia from the 11th for scheduled maintenance. The maintenance was planned to last until the 21st.

However, when it became known on the 14th that Gazprom declared 'force majeure' to European gas companies such as Uniper and RWE, concerns that Russia would suspend gas supply under the pretext of scheduled maintenance became a reality. Force majeure is a legal term declared by companies unable to fulfill supply contracts due to unforeseen natural disasters or similar events.

Already, Christian Lindner, Germany's Finance Minister, has stated he would not oppose extending the lifespan of nuclear power plants. With the Ministry of Economic Affairs changing its stance, the possibility of lifespan extension has increased further. Robert Habeck, Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs, is the leader of the Green Party, which has roots in anti-nuclear movements.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs explained that public opinion favoring nuclear power plant lifespan extension has risen due to the suspension of Russian gas supply. In fact, a poll conducted last month showed that 68% of German citizens supported reconsidering the nuclear phase-out plan. Before the outbreak of the Ukraine war, the approval rate was only 40%.

The European Union (EU) Commission is also reportedly planning to recommend extending nuclear power plant lifespans as a countermeasure to the suspension of Russian gas supply. The EU Commission is scheduled to announce measures to reduce gas demand on the 20th, which are expected to include extending nuclear power plant lifespans and replacing power sources from gas to nuclear energy.

Germany established its nuclear phase-out plan following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. The phase-out plan is expected to be completed by shutting down the remaining three nuclear power plants by the end of this year.

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