Amid the backdrop of the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl reactor disaster on April 26, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) reaffirmed his commitment to phasing out nuclear power. Speaking to local newspapers from the “Mediengruppe Bayern” group, he stated that he would repeat the decision to exit nuclear energy.
Schneider dismissed the idea of restarting the three reactors that were shut down three years ago as a “political pipe dream”. He added that the operators themselves do not want the restarts and are vigorously pursuing decommissioning.
He cautioned against endorsing any new nuclear power plants, explaining that they are prohibitively expensive, require decades to complete, and currently offer no help with immediate energy issues. According to the minister, the process from planning to operation takes approximately 25 years. He stressed that nuclear power cannot solve any energy problem in the short term. Instead, he pointed out that developing renewable energy sources is more affordable, faster, and safer. For Schneider, nuclear power is not a sustainable solution but a facade, calling it a mere illusion.
Addressing the investment proposals for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) put forward by the CSU, Schneider rejected the idea. He stated that these concepts are currently mostly theoretical, lacking practically implemented facilities, serial production, or credible economic models. He also cautioned that there is no reliable evidence to suggest that these so-called SMRs can fulfill industry’s optimistic promises. Furthermore, he noted that risks remain, particularly concerning safety issues or potential attacks. He summarized his view by saying that technically, implementing SMRs is an outdated concept (“old wine in new bottles”) and, overall, they might create more problems than large-scale traditional facilities.
Schneider also disagreed with Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU), who had claimed that renewables could only meet one-fifth of the energy demand. The SPD politician corrected her, explaining that her calculation appears flawed because she bases it on primary energy needs. He clarified that primary energy demand encompasses total energy needs, including the massive conversion losses that occur because we rely on inefficient fuels like coal and oil instead of significantly more efficient electrical solutions.
Regarding electricity generation, Schneider highlighted that progress has been made, noting that renewables currently account for robustly about 55 percent of the electricity sector. He stated the government’s goal is to reach around 80 percent by 2030. He concluded by arguing that based on this forecast, renewables are stronger than his colleague suggested, as this foundation will enable greater electrification in transportation and heating supply.
