German cabinet approves closure of all nuclear plants by 2022
Baku, July 4 (AZERTAC). The German cabinet approved the proposal to close all the country`s nuclear power plants by 2022.
Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said that the decision by the cabinet marked a milestone in the economic and political development of Germany. The nuclear energy will be replaced with renewable sources of power.
In addition, the government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel expects to double the amount of energy generated by renewable sources over the next decade. Germany`s opposition Social Democrats and the Green Party demanded renewable sources to generate 40 percent of the country`s energy needs.
However, the ruling Christian Democrats (CDU) party decided not to endorse such percentage and instead set a 35 percent target which Roettgen labeled as “challenging but it could also be easily be surpassed.”
Currently, renewable sources generate about 17 percent of Germany`s energy while nuclear plants provide 22 percent. Last year, Merkel intended to extend the lifespan of the 17 nuclear plants.
Merkel`s plans were rejected following the crisis caused by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan`s Fukushima Daiichi power plant last March. Protesters and opposition parties urged the government to modify its nuclear ambitions.
In March, Merkel announced a three-month moratorium that put on hold the plans of extending the lifespan of the German nuclear reactors in order to conduct safety inspections at the nuclear facilities.
In October 2010, the German Parliament approved a nuclear shutdown with a deadline set at 2036. However, pressure from the population and opposition parties caused that the ruling CDU party decided to rush the phase out.
Under the new plans, Germany`s seven nuclear reactors constructed before 1980 will be kept offline permanently. Six nuclear power plants would be closed in 2021 and the remaining three in 2022 to ensure the supply necessary energy.
Other news in this section
