Analysts Warn GermanyGermany is shutting three more nuclear power plants — nearly half of the nuclear capacity it has left — even as energy prices soar and the country struggles to cut its carbon dioxide emissions. The nation’s remaining reactors will close down by the end of 2022. This is the result of a pledge to rapidly phase out nuclear power that Germany’s government made hastily in the wake of the Fukushima accident. At the time, the decision pleased longtime anti-nuclear activists and advocates for renewables. But clearer heads warned that then-Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision was a mistake that would force Europe’s largest economy to rely on fossil fuels such as lignite, an especially dirty form of coal.
Which is precisely what happened. Though Germany has invested heavily in renewables, it nevertheless has had to burn massive amounts of coal since 2011 to keep its economy running.
The German government has committed to phasing out coal — but not until 2038. Even on this long time frame, eliminating coal without help from nuclear power plants will be perilous for Europe’s largest economy. Analysts warn that Germany’s supply margin — could plummet in the next couple of years, risking blackouts.