As Europe enters winter, the EU’s energy crisis is set to explode. This will prompt calls for every watt of electricity to be fed into Europe’s grid. Germany is meanwhile determined to close its last nuclear reactors, which has caused frustration among its neighbors.
Germany is closing its last nuclear reactors. EU officials call on the bloc’s leadership for energy mobilization to prevent the next winter’s energy crisis.
Germany pledged to a two-step nuclear withdrawal in 2011, shutting down three reactors by 2021, and three more by 2022. Berlin has largely ignored the calls for them to be kept running in the face the continuing energy crisis, despite some criticizing the policy as breaking with solidarity.
After a meeting in Berlin with the German government, Thierry Breton, EU’s Commissioner for the Internal Market, stated that “It’s the obligation of any country to do whatever is possible regarding the availability of oil production.”
Breton’s declarations were made the week after Germany made the final decision to close down its three nuclear reactors.
Breton also praised Belgium’s delay in its nuclear exit, even though he refused to comment on their energy mix.
He stated, “I want to ensure that we can provide all the necessary resources to get through winter.” “It’s vital that every country that has the ability to do so for this period does everything they can. It’s also about solidarity.
Breton stated to German newspaper Handelsblatt in July that it was “extremely important” to keep three German nuclear power stations running for longer periods of time.
A matter for solidarity
Berlin has decided to shut down two of its nuclear reactors. This despite the repeated assurances of experts that they would continue to operate. The third reactor will be completely shut down and replaced with floating oil-fired power stations.
This was the fulfillment of a long-held goal for the government. The victory was for the Greens to prove that they are standing up for their core beliefs, despite restarting coal power plants and importing fossil fuels at a super-fast pace.
They were not well-received. “If Germany doesn’t take responsibility for its energy security I will propose that we cut the Baltic cable,” stated Take Anstoot, from the Swedish Greens.
He said, “Solidarity works only if no one inflicts injury on itself.”
German politicians are concerned about the impact of Germany’s nuclear reactors being shut down in winter. This could affect their standing.
Grid operators conducted an analysis and found that the effect of maintaining the reactors running would be greater outside Germany than it would domestically. Their scenario in Germany predicted gas savings of 0.9 terrawatt hours at home and 1.5 abroad.
Peter Liese (conservative EU parliamentarian) stated that there has been “great annoyance among European neighbours for many months.”
He said that the German decision to pull the last nuclear power plant off the grid now also makes electricity more expensive for its neighbor.
The EU energy ministers will meet Friday to discuss ways to address the “madness” in the electricity market, as the Austrian Chancellor stated.
Gas woes
Germany is the EU’s largest economy. However, it’s also the most dependent on Russian gas. This has hampered the bloc’s ability to respond more strongly to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In its rush to lower Berlin’s Kremlin grip, it bought every molecule possible of gas, subsidizing large-scale LNG purchases using billions of free credit.
Germany’s gas storage today is 87% full. This policy hasn’t been the most popular.
“The gas price is on the rise. Why? Why?
The Fin stated that “that’s hurting quite a few of our member countries, quite a bit.”
