Germany will create the “legal basis” necessary to keep all three of its remaining nuclear power plants running until mid-April, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday, as the country faces an energy crisis this winter.
“The legal basis will be created to allow the operation of the nuclear power plants Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland beyond December 31, 2022 until April 15, 2023,” Scholz said in a statement. The government had previously only agreed to keep two of the three plants going beyond their planned end-of-year phaseout.
The above as reported by Insider Paper.
Germany’s Green Economy Minister Makes Fool of Himself
“Nuclear power and fossil fuels brought us here. They caused this crisis, they are not the solution.”
Strong and at times emotional speech by Robert Habeck, after weeks under pressure. Defending his actions in government, but standing by Green values. He got a standing ovation. pic.twitter.com/WTowFHlbQW
— Giulia Saudelli (@giuliasaudelli) October 14, 2022
“Nuclear power and fossil fuels brought us here. They caused this crisis, they are not the solution,” said Robert Habeck, Vice-Chancellor of Germany.
That spectacular bit of economic nonsense got Habeck a standing ovation from economically illiterate Greens.
Wrong Bet
In fact, $580B spent on nuclear would have generated enough energy to replace ALL fossil fuels and biomass in its electricity sector AND all of the petroleum it uses for cars and light trucks.https://t.co/I4y9Q0mxyS
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) October 15, 2022
How did Germany allow itself to become so dependent on Russia? By being in the grip of a delusional anti-nuclear ideology that fanatically rejects the material reality of energy production. Rather than learn from the catastrophe, Greens are doubling down.https://t.co/ld7dxR2t9S
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) October 15, 2022
Did Gretta Play a Role?
On October 11, Politico reported Greta Thunberg Calls Germany Using Coal Over Nuclear a ‘Bad Idea’
Climate activist Greta Thunberg has slammed Berlin’s plan to shut down its remaining nuclear plants while increasing coal-fired power in comments that thrilled Germany’s pro-nuclear politicians and irked Greens.
Asked if nuclear was preferable for the climate, Thunberg said: “It depends. If they are already running, I think it would be a mistake to shut them down and turn to coal.”
Germany had planned to close its remaining three nuclear plants at the end of the year. With a gas squeeze and extended outages of French nuclear plants causing shortages and price spikes, two of the reactors are now likely to have their lives extended, but only until April.
Thunberg’s comments were immediately seized on by pro-nuclear politicians, even within the ruling coalition.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who is from the liberal Free Democratic Party, said he welcomed Thunberg’s “encouragement … in this energy war, everything that creates electricity capacity has to be connected to the grid. The reasons speak for themselves — economically and physically.”
Telling and Accurate Comment
“If even the patron saint of the Greens advocates for the continued operation of nuclear power plants, you know what ideological amateur work [Greens Economy Minister] Robert Habeck and his party are engaged in,” said Florian Hahn, an MP with the Bavarian Christian Social Union.
Until April 15, 2023 or Beyond?
There are a couple of key questions in play, the most obvious is whether or not sanity rules past the extended deadline.
The second question is how long the Free Democratic Party (FDP) is willing to stay in this nonsensical 3-way “traffic light” coalition of socialists and Greens.
Traffic light refers to party colors, red, yellow, green.
FDP Attack From Within
On October 10, Reuters reported German Coalition, Beset by Crises, Could Get More Fractious After Vote.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s faced the prospect of a more divided government after one of his coalition partners vowed to assert itself more strongly following a drubbing in a state election.
The pro-business, fiscally-hawish FDP, which has suffered a series of poor results in state elections this year, blamed in part its participation in the national administration.
The party, which is now polling 6%-8% at national level, down from the 11.5% it scored in the federal election last year, is not a natural ideological fit with the SPD and Greens, and their so-called “traffic light” coalition was unprecedented.
While the coalition is not expected to collapse any time soon, it could get more fractious, making it even harder for Scholz to lead the country through a European energy and cost-of-living crisis, and a stand-off with Russia over the war in Ukraine.
On Monday, SPD and Greens leaders called on the coalition to remain united despite the parties’ mixed fortunes in the Lower Saxony election and a slump in support for all three at national level.
Many of the FDP’s voters in Lower Saxony drifted towards Alternative for Germany, which nearly doubled its share of the vote.
That reflected a broader national surge in support for the far-right party due to frustrations with the government’s response to the energy crisis and fears over the future as recession looms in Europe’s largest economy.
Obvious Compromise Will Please No One
The FDP wants all three extended until 2024, and a further two plants reactivated.
Habeck, in an alternate universe, blames nuclear energy for the crisis instead on Merkel’s inane decision to phase it out.
The obvious compromise by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, one that will please no one, is today’s announcement to temporarily extend all three nuclear plants until April of 2023.
The FDP general secretary said “We must prevent left-wing projects being implemented in this coalition.”
Indeed.
The correct action would be to scrap the scrapping totally, keeping the nuclear plants running indefinitely.
This post originated at MishTalk.Com
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Mish
… making her tougher than the majority of her manboob sporting haters.
Report to the front, comrade! Bullet sponges are urgently needed!
Does the mention of her name fill you with righteousness indignation, providing the adrenaline hit Fox has methodically made you a slave to?