To Phase Out or Not to Phase Out, That is a Question…

Germany’s government made the decision to phase out nuclear energy and close all nuclear power facilities by 2022, which was originally 2036, in the wake of the Fukushima catastrophe in 2011. Concerns about nuclear electricity safety and the possibility of a nuclear disaster in Germany led to this choice. However, the Ukrainian war has made Germany eager to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, which has also made the denuclearization policy, which was already firmly established, aroused controversy again. The leader of the CDU spearheaded the proposal to extend the operating hours of nuclear power plants to replace natural gas from Russia with nuclear power. Now, Germany decided to completely phase out nuclear energy by April this year. Personally, I think Germany could revert back to previous plans of 2036, and reasons are below:

1. Safety: the possibility of a catastrophic mishap with nuclear energy is one of the major worries. Despite the low probability of such an occurrence, the mishap at Fukushima serves as examples of how serious the repercussions can be. Germany decided to phase out nuclear energy because it wanted to reduce these dangers. Thus, Germany might eventually phase out nuclear energy, but maybe not until 2036.

2. Environment: the use of nuclear energy is frequently hailed as a pure, effective energy source that emits fewer carbon gases than other energy sources. However, there are environmental effects associated with the mining, refining, and shipping of nuclear material as well as the disposal of radioactive debris.

3. Energy security: nuclear energy provides a reliable and consistent source of energy that is not subject to the same fluctuations as renewable energy sources. However, it is also dependent on a finite supply of uranium and is subject to geopolitical factors.

It might be possible that Germany completely phases out nuclear plants in April 2023, but after the energy crisis from Russo-Ukrainian War, Germany might keep their nuclear plants as a guarantee of energy use. However, based on the wide-spread public idea of sustainability and current development of green sources, I personally think Germany would eventually phase out their nuclear plants. I think CDU might not agree to phase out nuclear plants. Historically, CDU’s decisions and attitudes are a against Green Party’s opinion upon nuclear energy, this time, as many consumers begin switching from natural gas to new energy sources, and as experts say demand for electricity will grow — and nuclear power can help fill the gap, CDU might not agree to completely shut down all facilities.