Criticism of liquid gas plans: Neubauer finds nuclear power plant "extended operation" justifiable

The search for alternatives to Russian gas also brings nuclear power plants, which were actually written off, back into the conversation.

Criticism of liquid gas plans: Neubauer finds nuclear power plant "extended operation" justifiable

The search for alternatives to Russian gas also brings nuclear power plants, which were actually written off, back into the conversation. Climate activist Luisa Neubauer is open to an extended term - under certain conditions. However, she considers planned LPG imports to be "crazy".

The climate activist Luisa Neubauer considers a limited lifetime extension of the German nuclear power plants still in operation to be justifiable. "What is currently being discussed specifically is stretching - i.e. continued operation of the remaining nuclear power plants for a few months without buying new fuel rods. That would be temporary and not a fundamental step," she told the "Tagesspiegel". Neubauer sees no problem in this, but doubts the benefit of such a measure.

The three nuclear power plants Isar 2, Emsland and Neckarwestheim 2 that are still in operation currently supply around 30 terawatt hours of electricity per year and account for around five percent of Germany's electricity production. Neubauer criticized that some political forces wanted a fundamental debate on energy supply and the purchase of new fuel elements. "They are no longer concerned with a transition, but with preventing a real energy transition away from coal, gas, oil and nuclear."

Because of the throttling of gas supplies by Russia, the FDP and the Union had initiated the debate about extending the term. According to current law, the three remaining nuclear power plants must be shut down by December 31, 2022 at the latest. The federal government accused Neubauer of putting their climate protection promises on the back burner. "The bottom line is that the federal government has just decided, in view of the war, to treat the climate crisis as if the climate were somehow waiting for us."

She criticized the government's planned import of liquefied natural gas as going too far. "It's not about a transition. That's how we commit ourselves." Out of the energy crisis, decisions would be made for decades. "That's crazy." However, Neubauer contradicted the argument that nuclear power could contribute to climate protection. He wants to reduce the risk of disaster. "Now to plead for nuclear power for a civil protection reason - climate protection - knowing full well that nuclear power itself entails a great risk for a different kind of catastrophe - that doesn't work." Instead, Neubauer spoke out in favor of renewable energies - which hardly entailed any risks.