Decision this week: “Imminent emergency situation in winter”: Union puts pressure on nuclear power extension

The CDU/CSU parliamentary group wants to introduce a motion for a resolution in the Bundestag this week, with which a law for the extension of nuclear power plants is to be passed. Parliament is scheduled to vote on it on Thursday. The corresponding paper is available to FOCUS Online.

In it, the opposition faction pleads for a law on the “preparation of replacement power plants to reduce gas consumption in the electricity sector in the event of an impending gas shortage through changes to the Energy Industry Act and other energy industry regulations”.

In the past few weeks, in the debate about possible extensions to the lifetime of the reactors, the Union and the FDP have repeatedly called for nuclear power plants to be kept on the grid beyond December 31 in order to counteract the energy crisis.

The Greens and SPD were largely against it. The energy that can be generated accounts for a very small proportion and represents too high a safety risk. In addition, the extension is technically not feasible, so the argument goes.

Now the Union of Traffic Lights wants to offer a “bridging solution” with its application.

According to this, “in view of an impending emergency situation this winter and to avert a shortage, safe power generation capacities cannot be dispensed with”. is it [called.

The CDU/CSU parliamentary group deliberately opted for exactly the same choice of words as they had already used for the traffic light to extend the operating times for coal-fired power plants. The intention of the Union behind it: If coal is the issue, then why not nuclear power as well.

In addition, there are calls for “more biogas to be used and for this to be lifted for a limited period of time and also for immediate removal of hurdles in order to feed in more biomethane”.

The Union is also calling for incentives to save energy to be implemented. For example, in industry through so-called “reverse auctions”, in which companies that use less gas receive financial advantages. Private households are to be motivated with “energy-saving vouchers”.