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German Nuclear Plants’ Future Hangs On Election

German Nuclear Plants’ Future at Stake in Merkel Election Fight
By Brian Parkin and Nicholas Comfort Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) — Angela Seidler, a 41-year-old tour guide at E.ON AG’s Grafenrheinfeld nuclear-power plant in southern Germany, may have to find a new career before she retires.“There are about six years of work” until the plant reaches a government-mandated production limit, Seidler said. After that, she said, “it’s over for Grafenrheinfeld” — unless voters grant a reprieve in Sept. 27 elections.

Seidler works at one of Germany’s 17 nuclear plants, which require an extension to operate beyond deadlines imposed in 2002 by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Social Democratic predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder. They won’t get it unless Merkel, who wants to keep them open, wins the majority she needs to ditch her current coalition with the Social Democrats.

“A big chunk of future energy policy seems to hang on an election-day outcome,” said Claudia Kemfert, an analyst at the Berlin-based DIW economic institute, which advises the government on energy policy. “That’s a very hefty wager on a single vote.”………………

The Social Democrats say that by 2020, renewable energy will provide at least 30 percent of electricity needs — up from 15 percent now — and a new generation of coal- and gas-fired plants will plug the gap as nuclear energy shuts down, according to Social Democratic Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel………..

Germany’s nuclear phase-out was implemented by Schroeder’s Social Democrat-led government with the Green Party. Merkel’s coalition stuck to the law, under which all nuclear plants will be shut by about 2021.

German Nuclear Plants’ Future at Stake in Merkel Election Fight – Bloomberg.com

September 23, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, radioactive, uranium