Did the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Environment mislead the public on the issue of nuclear phase-out? A media report suggests this. Economics Minister Habeck firmly rejects this.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck has rejected criticism of the decision-making process to phase out nuclear power. Before the start of a special meeting of the Bundestag Committee on Climate Protection and Energy, Habeck said that one year after the nuclear phase-out, all the “prophecies of doom” had not come true. The energy supply is completely secured and electricity prices on the market have fallen. “We got through the crisis really well.”
The special meeting was triggered by a report from the magazine “Cicero“. According to this, internal concerns about the nuclear phase-out planned for the following year were suppressed in both the Ministry of Economics and the Environment in the spring of 2022. Important information did not reach Habeck.
Habeck: According to the operator, fuel elements were “sucked out”
“The documents tell a different story than what was rumored,” said Habeck. His ministry and he personally actively approached the operators of the last nuclear power plants to check whether longer operation was possible. “Security of supply was my absolute priority.” All possibilities have been explored. “So the assumption that there was some kind of secret knowledge that didn’t reach me is wrong.”
What is crucial is that he was always able to ask the right questions in the really relevant rounds. These were the meetings with the power plant operators. “This is also documented and can be presented in writing to show that these were also answered.” In March 2022, the nuclear power plant operators reported that the fuel elements had been “exhausted”.
Habeck assured that he would make all data available to the committee. The Union and FDP had decided to phase out nuclear power many years before. Ultimately it was just a matter of continuing to operate three reactors for a few months.
Environment Minister Steffi Lemke also rejected allegations before the special meeting. The Green politician said her company had intensively examined whether the nuclear power plants could run longer. As a result, the terms were extended. “My concern is that we can guarantee nuclear safety in our country at all times.”
Union: Lemke’s answers are inadequate
The publication of the ministry documents on the decision to extend the life of the nuclear power plant triggered sharp criticism from the Union. After Lemke was questioned in the Environment Committee, politicians from the Union faction criticized their answers as insufficient. “We asked questions. The answers were inadequate,” said deputy Union parliamentary group leader Steffen Bilger (CDU). However, the minister promised to answer further questions in writing and to submit all documents. “We will look at them very closely and derive our assessment from them, including further steps.”
When asked about a possible investigative committee, Bilger said: “All possibilities that we as the opposition have are available.” But first they want to wait for the promised answers and documents. “And if any questions arise from this, we expressly reserve the right to take further steps.”
Environment Minister Lemke spoke of a “good committee meeting”. She emphasized “that it is good and important if transparency is created in the parliamentary space about what is currently being discussed publicly.” Lemke confirmed that further questions would be answered and documents would be sent to the committee.
Union politicians are calling for a committee of inquiry
Before the special meeting, Bilger had stated that there was an accusation that there was manipulation, tricking and deception. On the online platform
Helfrich: “Deceptive operation”
The energy policy spokesman for the CDU/CDU parliamentary group, Mark Helfrich, spoke in the “Bild” newspaper of a “deceptive operation”. This must be “processed by a committee of inquiry”.
The chairwoman of the MIT SME Association, Gitta Connemann, said: “The dismantling of the last nuclear power plants must be stopped immediately.” The public has a right to complete information. With regard to the special meeting of the Bundestag Energy Committee, she added that if Federal Economics Minister Habeck “does not provide complete clarification there, a special committee will be needed due to urgency or a committee of inquiry.”
The magazine “Cicero” had sued for the publication of files on the nuclear phase-out. It’s about the years 2022 and 2023, the time when Russia’s war against Ukraine began and Germany had to become independent of Russian gas. At that time, there was discussion about keeping the remaining nuclear power plants online longer. According to “Cicero”, the files suggest that the assessments at the technical level in the ministries were changed in such a way that it seemed impossible to operate the power plants for any longer.
Mit Informationen von Gabor Halasz, ARD Berlin
Gabor Halasz, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, April 26, 2024 8:53 a.m