Germany « nuclear-news

Young and old protest against nuclear power in Germany

thousands of young people joined in as well, along with many middle-of-the road Germans who had never been at a protest before….the protest is a strong signal that a broad spectrum of Germans is opposed to extending nuclear lifetimes,

Most Germans Don’t Want Nuclear Power’ – SPIEGEL ONLINE , 20 Sept 10, Anti-nuclear campaigners demonstrating in Berlin on Saturday sent a powerful message of opposition to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s plan to extend the lifetimes of German reactors. Media commentators say she would be unwise to ignore it, because her own supporters don’t want nuclear power either. Continue reading →

September 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, opposition to nuclear | antinuclear, nuclear, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Call for referendum on Germany’s nuclear power plants

“Angela Merkel’s nuclear deal brings people onto the streets because when a government leader makes deals in the backroom that call into question the security of old nuclear plants, this is a recipe for political disenchantment,”

German Opposition Seeks Nuclear Referendum, NYTimes.com, By JUDY DEMPSEY September 20, 2010 * BERLIN — In what is seen as a direct challenge to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s energy strategy and style of leadership, the opposition Social Democrats called Monday for a referendum on the future of the country’s nuclear power plants………….. Continue reading →

September 21, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, reactors | Leave a comment

Berlin protest as thousands reject nuclear power

the anti-nuclear movement has not seen such strong public support since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the Soviet Union, in 1986.

Berlin / Munich – Two Cities / Different Crowds, EU Australia Online , September 19th, 2010 Weekend events in Germany saw a large protest in Berlin over nuclear power stations,…….CONFRONTATION OVER NUCLEAR STATIONS Crowds estimated at between 40-100000, depending on who was counting, paraded to the office of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Berlin, objecting to government plans for extending the life of ageing nuclear power plants. Continue reading →

September 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, opposition to nuclear | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Anger rising against German government’s astonishing concessions to nuclear industry

The government is making astonishing concessions to the industry…for example..by spending more on nuclear safety they will be able to spend less on alternative energy.

Coalition Fission – Merkel’s Nuclear Plan Encounter Mounting Opposition :: Free Internet Press, 13 Sept 10 “……The agreement Merkel reached with the utility executives last week includes substantial concessions to the industry. Continue reading →

September 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Merkel bypasses German Parliament in move to prolong nuclear power

Merkel has indicated that she believes she will be able to bypass the Bundesrat because the new deal prolongs the phase-out period, but does not actually overturn the 2002 law. This apparent skipping of parliamentary process in such a significant policy for Germany’s energy future will form the crux of the anti-nuclear lobby’s opposition……..The Social Democratic Party and the Greens have made it clear that if the deal goes ahead they will make it a major issue in the next election and overturn it if elected.

Germany’s ‘hot autumn’ of nuclear discontent, Sydney Morning Herald, James Norman and Dave Sweeney, September 15, 2010, “…….. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat coalition will move a new accord to extend the life-span of Germany’s 17 existing nuclear power plants by 12 years ….

The move has signalled a new “hot autumn” of anti-nuclear sentiment in Berlin and beyond. Continue reading →

September 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Legal action looming against German govt’s nuclear plans

Greenpeace, the environmental NGO, suspects foul play and intends to sue. Its assumption is that the government has tried to hide the fact that demand for nuclear energy is falling and that there is no need to extend the lifespan of nuclear plants.

Merkel’s ‘nuclear tour’ remains inconclusive | EurActiv, 14 Sept 10, For several months, Germany has been discussing the future of its energy policy. Last month, Chancellor Angela Merkel went on an ‘energy tour’ across the country to meet different stakeholders and visit various power plants. These included renewable energy as well as nuclear sites. EurActiv Germany reports.

Merkel’s energy journey identified energy security as its highest priority, but did not address issues of safety such as the question of final storage of radioactive waste. Continue reading →

September 15, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, Legal | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Even if they go ahead, dubious profitability for Germany’s old nuclear plants

E.On: tax eats profits from nuclear extension-paper Reuters, FRANKFURT, Sept 12 – E.On EOGn.DE says taxes will eat up between half and two thirds of all profits generated from extending the lifespan of nuclear power stations in Germany, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung said on Sunday.”The state will definitely take more than half and combined with the nuclear fuel tax likely cash in two thirds,” E.On CEO Johannes Teyssen said in an interview with the paper.New tax measures are set to be introduced as part of a deal struck between the utilities and the German government earlier this month to extend the operating lifespan of 17 nuclear power plants, giving reactors an extension of about 12 years on average. …….E.On: tax eats profits from nuclear extension-paper | Energy & Oil | Reuters

September 13, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Germany | AUSTRALIA, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

65% of Germans not happy with Merkel pandering to nuclear lobby

65 percent of respondents agree with the charge leveled by many in the German opposition that Merkel’s center-right coalition mainly took account of nuclear plant operators’ interests in drawing up its energy concept.

Poll: Germans oppose nuclear power extension – BusinessWeek, 10 sept 10, A majority of Germans oppose government plans to put off a shutdown of the country’s nuclear power plants by an average 12 years, according to a poll released Friday.The poll for ZDF television found that 61 percent opposed the plan announced earlier this week to undo a previous government’s decade-old decision to shut down all German nuclear plants by 2021. Continue reading →

September 11, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

Church groups, businessmen, youth, join German anti-nuclear movement

bolstered the current protests beyond the traditional activist base to reach different age groups, church bodies and small businesses specialized in renewable-energy technologies who see their livelihoods at risk.

“The protests are much broader now — they include a lot of young people who now know that nuclear power doesn’t create jobs, but eliminates jobs,”

Merkel Faces `New Dimension’ of Anti-Nuclear Protests, Green Leader Says, Bloomberg, By Patrick Donahue – Sep 10, 2010 German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces “massive” public protests this fall as demonstrators attempt to derail her plan to prolong the use of nuclear power, Continue reading →

September 11, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, opposition to nuclear | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

Leaked memo reveals German govt’s dirty nuclear deal

The memo, leaked Thursday, also promises that the new nuclear agreement will include provisions to make it hard for future anti-nuclear governments to reverse the decision to keep nuclear in the mix.

Opposition fuming over secret nuclear deal – UPI.com BERLIN, Sept. 10 The German opposition has reacted angrily over revelations that the government, as part of its decision to extend the life of nuclear power in Germany to the mid 2030s, struck a deal with the nuclear industry to shield it from unfavorable future political decisions. German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a previously unreleased memo assured the country’s four main utilities that government-imposed nuclear safety upgrades would be capped at $640 million per reactor. Continue reading →

September 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology | Leave a comment

Angela Merkel denies secret nuclear deal – do we believe her?

Tens of thousands are expected to take part in a mass anti-nuclear rally in Berlin on Sept. 18……..

German govt spokesman rejects charges of secret pact* Merkel’s party loses support after nuclear extension By Erik KirschbaumBERLIN, Sept 10 (Reuters) – The German government denied on Friday charges that it had made a secretive deal to cap safety costs for utility firms as part of an agreement to extend the lifespans of nuclear power plants. Continue reading →

September 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

Merkel govt’s secret deals to benefit Germany’s nuclear lobby

the memo shows this will be a no-risk deal for the utilities, even if an anti-nuclear government comes to power and tries to roll back Merkel’s pro-nuclear policies….

the SPD would fight the “secret deal.”Government sources said the Merkel government also planned to change the law, making it almost impossible to sue a nuclear company to force it to upgrade its nuclear security standards.

Germany promises nuclear utilities financial protection Earth Times News, Berlin , 10 Sept 10, – Continue reading →

September 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, secrets,lies and civil liberties | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

Retirement time for Germany’s old nuclear reactors

Nearly two thirds of German citizens oppose nuclear power, and 150,000 people participated in the recent big demonstration against it. It remains to be seen whether the government has the power or the mandate to force through its wishes.

Time for Germany’s nuclear reactors to retire | Greenpeace International, by jmckeati – September 7, 2010 So, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced at the weekend that her government will seek extension to the country’s nuclear reactors’ lifetimes of between 8 and 14 years. Germany’s reactors are the nuclear old men of Europe, more than ready for retirement. All nuclear reactors are dangerous and the older they are the more dangerous they become. Frau Merkel is making a grave mistake by seeking to extend the operating life of Germany´s nuclear reactors. Continue reading →

September 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear weapons, radiation, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Austrian and Bavarian challenges to extending life of Germany’s old nuclear reactors

Anschober said there had been a “decision for the profit interests of the atomic energy lobby and against safety concerns.”

Nuclear extension sparks Austrian meltdown — The Local. 7 Sept 10, Germany’s plan to extend the lives of its nuclear reactors has upset neighbouring Austria, where a environmental official has warned that a reactor near the border poses clear “safety risks.”
Rudi Anschober, environment minister for the state of Upper Austria, which borders Bavaria, also warned that the Austrian Federal Government was preparing to attack Germany’s plan. Continue reading →

September 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics international | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

Germany’s local electricity companies the losers if old nuclear plants continue

the average 12-year nuclear plant lifespan extension would cost municipal electricity suppliers 4.5 billion euros.

Local utilities want compensation after German nuclear power deal | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 07.09.2010, Gregg Benzow, Municipal electric utility companies have asked for financial compensation to offset losses they say they will incur from a decision to extend the lifespan of Germany’s nuclear power plants. Continue reading →

September 8, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Germany | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | Leave a comment