The German Energiewende

16 | The German Energiewende
Nuclear power
Phasing out
nuclear energy
The use of nuclear energy to generate electricity has sparked heated debate in Germany for
decades. Many Germans find it difficult to assess the technological risk. They are concerned
about the potential impact of a reactor accident on people, nature and the environment. These
fears were confirmed by the accident in the Ukrainian city of Chernobyl in 1986 that also
contaminated parts of Germany. In 2000, the German Government decided to completely phase
out the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity and to switch to an energy supply based on
renewable sources. The agreement reached with the nuclear plant operators set a time limit for
the use of existing plants and banned the construction of new plants.
© dpa/Uli Deck
This plan was amended in 2010. Existing plants were to be used for a longer period of time
in order to bridge the gap until nuclear power could be completely replaced by renewable
energies. Following the reactor accident in Fukushima, Japan, in March 2011, the German
Government overturned this decision.
Because of the major risks involved in their operation, nuclear power plants have high insurance
and safety costs. It therefore makes economic sense to shift away from nuclear power.
When will Germany’s nuclear power plants be switched off?
Planned reduction in the capacity of German nuclear power plants by the end of 2022
Total nuclear power
plant capacity
Fukushima
43%
Nov. 2003
May 2005
Aug. 2011
57%
May 2015
Dec. 2017
Dec. 2019
Dec. 2021
Dec. 2022
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
1998
Germany adopts a law liberalising
its electricity and gas markets.
2000
The European Commission publishes the first joint strategy for renewable
energy, energy efficiency and climate protection in Europe.