End of Nuclear Energy in Germany: What are the Fallouts?

Germany recently announced the shutting down of its last nuclear power plants. From supplying nuclear power plant-based electricity to the grid for the first time, at Kahl in Bavaria in 1961, to now shutting down the last three in April 2023, Nuclear energy polarized people’s opinions and remained a point of debate for decades in the country. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine extended the operating period of the power stations to this new date which was scheduled earlier to close by the end of 2022. While the move is taken with an intention to ward off any risk of using and generating nuclear energy, it has repercussions as well.

What Made Germany Go Nuclear-Free?

Nuclear power plants made up a third of Germany’s total electricity needs as recently as about 20 years ago. However, the negative opinions about the risk associated with Nuclear power plants made countries yearn for closing Nuclear power plants down in Germany, and several other countries.

While the 70s and 80s witnessed discontent among a major chunk of the population, mostly the youth, the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 in the then-Soviet Union appeared to confirm warnings about the dangers of nuclear power. Fast forward two and a half decades, the horrific reactor disaster at Fukushima in Japan in 2011 sealed the fate of German nuclear power plants. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), decided, ‘that was it for nuclear energy in Germany’.

Germany’s then Environment Minister, Jürgen Trittin, pushed through the country’s first plan to phase out nuclear power back in 2002. “Yes, this is an important day, because it brings a story to an end, namely that of the civilian use of nuclear energy,” he told to DW after the recent finale of Germany’s Nuclear saga, adding, “but it’s not the end of nuclear energy in Germany, we’re still dealing with the fact that we’ll have to safely store the world’s most dangerous waste for a million years”.

What are the Negative Fallout of Germany’s Nuclear-Free Obsession?

Turning face away from nuclear means Europe’s largest economy will now have to derive its energy from fossil fuels and natural gas. The phase-down resulted in an increase in power generation from coal – brown coal represented over 20 per cent of Germany’s electricity generation in 2022 (up from 16 per cent in 2020).

Germany also made plans to reopen several coal-fired power plants – a significant departure from Germany’s long-term plans to meet its ambitious climate goals for 2030 and beyond.

Though Germany has invested heavily in renewables, it nevertheless has had to burn massive amounts of coal since 2011 to keep its economy running. This will further increase Germany’s dependency on Russian natural gas, which throws not just Germany but also others into a deep geopolitical vulnerability in a more globalised world. This is also seen as turning off the tap on a reliable source of low-carbon energy at a time when drastic cuts to planet-heating pollution are needed. The action is expected to drive up fuel prices, crowding the options out for the countries well behind Germany economically.

The Arguments in Favour of Nuclear Power Plants

Still, given the looming concerns about Europe’s energy supply next winter, opposition parties have made it clear they don’t consider the issue as closed. While there are well-known risks associated with the generation and utilization of nuclear power, there are also those who do not support the idea of phasing it out.

According to KernD, a German association advocating for nuclear technology, ending nuclear power is not a favourable approach, as it believes there is an energy crisis that has been suppressed rather than resolved, as reported by DW.

“Also, in view of climate policy and the very unfavourable development in electricity generation last year — due to a sharp increase in coal-fired power generation — the shutdown of three functioning nuclear power plants with a low greenhouse gas footprint is a beggar’s belief,” a KernD spokesperson said, adding, “Considering the security of supply, environmental and climate protection, as well as competitiveness, more nuclear power would make more sense than none at all.”

“The shutdown of the world’s most modern and safest nuclear power plants in Germany is a dramatic mistake that will have painful economic and ecological consequences for us,” Wolfgang Kubicki, co-chairman of the Free Democratic Party, told German media. Jens Spahn, deputy leader of the conservative Christian Democrats, called it a “black day for climate protection in Germany.”
The move has also jolted the emission targets of the country with many making critical assessments from an emission reduction targets perspective.

“(Targets) are already ambitious without the nuclear phase-out – and every time you deprive yourself of a technological option, you make things more difficult,” notes Georg Zachmann, an energy expert at the Brussels think-tank Bruegel.

The Stance of Some Other Countries

Several European countries took different approaches towards nuclear power phase-out. Sweden and Italy were among the first to abandon nuclear power, with Sweden discontinuing it shortly after the Chernobyl disaster, and Italy decided to close its last two nuclear power plants. However, Sweden later reversed its phase-out in 1996 and currently operates six nuclear power plants, which contribute to about 30 per cent of the country’s electricity production.

On the other hand, some European countries have plans to expand their nuclear power systems. The Netherlands and Poland are among those countries that are considering increasing their nuclear power capacities, while Belgium has postponed its planned phase-out. France, with 57 reactors, has always been at the forefront of nuclear power in Europe, and it intends to continue relying on nuclear power for its energy needs. Overall, 13 out of 27 EU countries have plans to use nuclear power in the coming years, with several countries looking to expand their capacities.

The UK is in the process of building a nuclear power plant, and the world’s biggest nuclear power, the US, is also investing in nuclear energy and recently started up a new nuclear reactor, Vogtle 3, in Georgia.

Asian countries are positive about expanding their nuclear power plants. China and Russia are planning to build new nuclear power plants. China, which already produces more nuclear power than France, wants to build another 47 plants.

Notably, even after the Fukushima incident and their promise to phase out atomic power, the Japanese government turned back to nuclear energy as the government recently adopted a plan to maximize the use of existing reactors by restarting as many of them as possible and prolonging the operating life of ageing ones beyond a 60-year limit. On top of it, the government also pledged to develop next-generation reactors.

“We must make full use of nuclear energy,” stated Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The current rate of progress in renewables does not satisfy either the government or environmentalists, and Germany will not meet its climate targets without a serious push. Looking at the larger picture, the adverse impact will be faced by Germany as well as other countries. Global fuel shortages, rising prices, and pressure to reduce carbon emissions are some of the major reasons for positive sentiments toward nuclear energy, and they are not unwarranted either.