Economics Minister Habeck wants to keep two nuclear power plants in reserve until spring 2023 to deal with the energy crisis. The German government's council of experts considers this to be "not expedient". In view of the Russian delivery stop, they want to let the nuclear power plants run longer.
The so-called economic wise men have criticized Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck's plan to keep two of the three nuclear power plants still in operation only in reserve. The nuclear reactors should continue to be operated "at least until the energy crisis has been overcome in the long term," write the members of the Advisory Council for the Assessment of Overall Economic Development in an article for the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". A reserve operation until mid-April next year is "not expedient".
The research team advises the federal government; it includes Veronika Grimm, Monika Schnitzer, Achim Truger and since August Ulrike Malmendier and Martin Werding. They therefore call for "all possibilities" to be considered in order to further reduce gas-fired power generation, to dampen the sharp rise in electricity prices and to increase the availability of energy. That must be "discussed beyond ideological trench warfare". With the reserve operation proposed by Habeck, "only the costs associated with the availability would be incurred, without realizing the benefit from the operation," write the members of the committee.
According to the statements, the Council expects that the energy crisis will “last at least until the summer of 2024”. In view of the tense situation, there must also be stronger incentives for private households to reduce gas consumption. Appeals and regulatory requirements could not replace "savings incentives through price signals". "The high gas prices should be passed on to the end consumers, who in return would have to be relieved across the board," write the authors.
They praise the third relief package planned by the government for the planned housing benefit reform and the additional flat-rate heating fee. However, many measures are still unclear or not targeted. "In particular, to relieve gas customers, targeted measures should be developed and implemented as quickly as possible."
