Nuclear Monitor #913

Germany phased out nuclear energy nearly a year ago. The last reactor was shut down in March 2023. But even with the multi-billion euro problem of how to store radioactive waste, some politicians are calling for new nuclear plants to be built. Since the shut down last year, the political parties CDU and CSU have changed their position on nuclear power again. Now many in the party are calling for new reactors to be built. CDU leader Friedrich Merz has said that shutting down the last reactors was a “black day for Germany.” The parties also say that old reactors should be reconnected to the grid. Merz says that the country should restart the last three power plants that were shut down — citing climate protection, as well as rising oil and gas prices. Those proposals have not found much enthusiasm among German energy companies. Environment Minister Steffi Lemke is not surprised. “The energy companies made adjustments a long time ago, and they still reject nuclear power in Germany today. Nuclear power is a high-risk technology whose radioactive waste will continue to be toxic for thousands of years and will be an issue for many generations.”

Storing nuclear waste

In Germany, the question of where to store dangerous nuclear waste is still unresolved. It’s long been stored in temporary facilities near nuclear power plants. But that’s not a long-term solution. The authorities have to look for suitable sites, make selections and commission test drillings. Local communities, who don’t want nuclear waste buried anywhere near them, often resist. And figuring out costs and timelines is difficult. “I can’t estimate any of this at the moment,” says Dagmar Dehmer of the government’s nuclear waste disposal agency. “We have to look at several regions. Drilling costs millions. The evaluation alone costs about five million euros.” The agency estimates that a storage facility could be ready in 2046. Some experts estimate the total costs at around €5.5 billion ($6 bn). So, will nuclear energy come back to life in Germany? Environment Minister Lemke believes economic viability will decide.  “No power company would build a nuclear plant in Germany, because the costs would be far too high. Nuclear power plants can only be built with massive public and hidden subsidies, including partial exemption from insurance requirements.”

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/will-nuclear-energy-make-a-comeback-in-germany/a-68098059