Debating Nuclear Power

The Biblis A reactor in the central German state of Hesse was scheduled to be shut down by 2008 under an agreement reached with the former government, a coalition between Social Democrats and the Green Party.

But RWE officials now want the plant's life span to be extended until 2011. Many conservatives in the present government are opposed to the phase out of nuclear power, despite the grand coalition's agreement to honor the policies of the former administration.

A political stunt?

The application to extend the operational life of Biblis is the latest in a series of moves by nuclear power operators in Germany to wriggle out of their commitments to wind down their reactors. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF, Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel suggested the move was a political stunt.

"It would be more logical to say we'll phase out the older power stations and let the new ones run longer because they're safer," said Gabriel, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) "That energy firms are requesting the opposite leads one to suspect that this is not a sincere measure, but instead a means of buying time until the next election in the hope of waiting for a more favorable government."

The debate within Germany's governing coalition on phasing out nuclear power is split along party lines. Although many conservatives are opposed to the policy, it was agreed to in the initial horse trading that took place to secure the Social Democrat –Conservative coalition.

On Wednesday, Alexander Dobrindt from the government's conservative CSU party accused Gabriel of prejudice. Dobrindt said that if the environment minister regarded all old power stations as inherently unsafe, he had no technical understanding of the issues.

CDU won't apply pressure

But other conservative politicians said that they would not let the already fragile coalition with Social Democrats fail because of a dispute on this issue.

"We will not try to apply pressure," said Katherina Reiche, an environmental expert for her Christian Democratic Union in parliament, adding that her party would not back RWE's demands.

Gabriel will be responsible for reviewing the application to extend the run time of Biblis A. He said that according to the coalition's contract, the decision is his alone and he does not have to run it past Chancellor Angela Merkel, though some conservative government members challenge this claim.

Gabriel is expected to turn down the application and has already suggested it is a breach of the company's contract with the former German government.

"The phasing out of -- for example Biblis A, Neckarwestheim and Brunsbüttel -- was agreed to in contract with the federal government five or six years ago," he said. "Holding to contracts doesn't just apply to government, it applies to the private sector as well."

Germany's 17 remaining nuclear power stations are scheduled to be closed down by 2020.