German Coalition Agrees on Extending Nuclear Energy Until Replaced by Renewable Energy Sources

German Coalition Agrees on Nuclear Energy, Handelsblatt Says

By Oliver Suess

Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats and the Free Democratic Party agreed to extend the use of nuclear energy, Handelsblatt reported.

The lifespan of German nuclear power plants will be extended until they can be “reliably replaced” by renewable energy sources, the newspaper said, citing a draft of the coalition agreement it obtained.

To contact the reporter on this story: Oliver Suess in Munich at osuess@bloomberg.net

Excerpt from www.Handelsblatt.com automatically translated from German to English with Google Toolbar:
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The black-yellow coalition, moreover, laid down their energy policy course. The operators of nuclear power plants have to adjust accordingly to tough negotiations with the future government. In its coalition agreement to approve the CDU, CSU and FDP only a role of nuclear power as a transitional technology. Industry representatives complained that the plant operators were "certainly not among the winners of the coalition negotiations." On the other hand, welcomed the Renewable Energy Sector, the coalition agreements.

In the energy chapter of the coalition agreement states that nuclear energy is a bridge technology that would use it, "until they could reliably be replaced by renewable energies." "We are prepared to extend the maturities German nuclear power plants in compliance with the strict German and international safety standards." As late as Tuesday evening, this wording had been: "We shall extend the maturities. The three party leaders, however, sat by the slowdown. Both Chancellor Angela Merkel and FDP leader Guido Westerwelle emphasized, according to participants at the final talks on the energy chapter, there are no blank checks for longer maturities.

The tips of the CDU, CSU and FDP, given the energy chapter of the coalition agreement as early as Wednesday evening, her blessing. Other chapters are still controversial. At the weekend, the coalition will present the complete contract.

According to the Union and FDP coalition agreement "in a meeting as soon as possible agreement to be reached with the operators' schemes for runtime extensions. Union leaders stressed that the arrangements would "set for steam power plant. Before it terrified the industry already. The four nuclear power plant operators feared - Eon, RWE, EnBW and Vattenfall - that it could be just for one or the other plant: "This is a tough struggle for each reactor." However, the starting positions of the firms are different. While the reactor for RWE Biblis, for EnBW with Neckarwestheim and Vattenfall Brunsbüttel time is pressing, can be left Eon. The group is involved only as a co-Brunsbüttel, otherwise the company's facilities have comparatively rich residual amounts of electricity. RWE, EnBW and Vattenfall have their kiln, however saved only with difficulty in the new legislature, the residual amounts of electricity, which allocates the Atomic Energy Act, the facilities are almost empty.

Union leaders emphasize that the energy part of the coalition agreement is in no way be construed as decided by management of the nuclear phase-to red-green. Indeed, it is a real paradigm shift towards renewables. "We want to go the way into the regenerative period and expand its technology leadership in renewable energy," says the coalition agreement. Similarly positive assessment of the industry the contract. "We see a number of very clear and very positive terms, which was a good basis for our work," it when Federal Association for Renewable Energies. Even with the formulations to promote Photolvoltaik can live the industry

On this issue there had been intense discussions during the negotiations. In particular, FDP politicians had criticized the photovoltaic funding was excessive. The Treaty is now stated that they would resolve in a dialogue with solar industry and consumer advocates, "with which adjustments in the short term over-funding in the photovoltaic can be avoided." Even consumer watchdogs have criticized the promotion of photovoltaics, which is passed on to electricity customers, as too high.

A dialogue between politics and solar industry would make sense, "said Andreas Hänel, CEO of Phoenix Solar, the Handelsblatt. He warned to cut subsidies as part of the policy demanded by 30 percent. This would damage the industry as the price decrease in solar modules, not one leave transferable to the feed-in tariffs. Pricing for the modules have recently fallen rapidly.

Specific attention paid to the future coalition partners the energy companies. In the energy chapter, the Federal Ministry instructed to consider "what measures to maintain the competitiveness of electricity-intensive industries" are required. In addition, states that the coalition is set to ensure that energy companies remain the exception to continue the auctioning of emission rights. The companies evaluated these statements carefully. Investment decisions could not pronounce on this basis, it said.