German Chancellor Merz Calls Nuclear Phase-Out a 'Serious Strategic Mistake'

The right leaning media is all over this. The left? Not so much.

German Chancellor Merz Calls Nuclear Phase-Out a 'Serious Strategic Mistake'

Ground News

Chancellor Merz said Germany’s nuclear phase-out led to high costs and energy import reliance, threatening security and price stability, with renewables at 65% in 2024.

• On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany's nuclear phase-out was a serious strategic mistake and blamed the previous German government for restrictive energy policies.

• The phase-out followed policy to reduce nuclear risks and speed the Energiewende after the Fukushima disaster, concluding in April 2023 as the final three reactors went offline while renewables supplied around 65% of domestic energy.

• Technical and regulatory barriers mean closed reactors must be rebuilt and gain new approvals, while Friedrich Merz proposed restarting closed reactors, boosting output, completing plants, and building 10 new large reactors by 2030.

• Merz warned that Germany lacks sufficient generation capacity and said reliance on imports by the German power industry has raised costs, risking permanent federal budget subsidies: `We can't do this in the long run.`

• Germany's plans come as other countries expand nuclear capacity; it aims for at least six new reactors by mid-2030s despite costs, while France's 57 reactors meet 70% needs and China, U.S. expand fleets.