Markus Söder, the Bavarian prime minister, is demanding a complete rethink of Germany’s current nuclear exit policy. He proposes building modern, small-scale nuclear plants in the Free State as a replacement for the reactors shut down during the last energy crisis. This stance puts him at odds with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently described the nuclear phase‑out as “irreversible”.
Söder told “Bild am Sonntag” that it is time for a new era of nuclear power-Nuclear 2.0-where advanced, modular small reactors and nuclear fusion replace the old technology that once carried the risks. He characterises the closure of nuclear sites by the former “Ampel” coalition as a serious mistake made during the greatest energy crisis Germany has experienced.
Although he concedes that the window for returning to the large old reactors is probably closed, Söder argues that Germany still needs “baseload‑capable and CO₂‑free” nuclear power. The CSU chief has announced Bavaria’s readiness to launch a pilot project.
A central part of his strategy is transmutation, the idea of re‑using spent nuclear waste as fuel. “It makes more sense to burn old waste than to leave it in the ground for millions of years” he said. He is calling on the federal government to amend the transmutation law so those wastes can become usable, a move that could also address the long‑term storage problem.
In addition to small modular reactors (SMRs), Bavaria is heavily investing in fusion. The state has earmarked up to €400 million for the demonstrator “Alpha”. Collaboration with industry and research institutes aims to unlock clean, virtually unlimited energy.
In light of mounting geopolitical tensions, Söder urged German independence: “The conflict in the Middle East shows that we must rely on technology rather than ideology. We can’t complain about prices while also buying all our energy from abroad”. The rapid rise in electricity demand from artificial intelligence and electric mobility will make a stable baseload supply from modern nuclear and gas power plants indispensable.
