Germany had planned to complete a phaseout of nuclear power by the end of 2022. But chancellor Olaf Scholz ordered the extension in October amid looming energy shortages in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Lawmakers in the Bundestag were voting on changing Germany’s Atomic Energy Law, which is the legal framework of the extension. The revisions clearly stipulate that there will be no new extension beyond April.
In the vote, 375 MPs voted in favour of amending the law, 216 voted against and 70 abstained, Bundestag vice-president Wolfgang Kubicki announced.
Next Step Is Upper House
The law still has to pass the upper house of parliament – the Federal Council, or Bundesrat – which could deal with the issue at a meeting scheduled for 25 November.
Environment minister Steffi Lemke told broadcaster RTL that the law “clearly states that the shutdown will take place on April 15”.
The nuclear power plants are Isar-2 in the southern state of Bavaria, Emsland in northwestern Germany and Neckarwestheim-2 in the southwestern Baden-Württemberg state.
According to German broadcaster ZDF, the law stipulates that the safety of nuclear plants is “continuously ensured at a high level by comprehensive state supervision”
However, an extensive periodic safety review, typically carried out every 10 years, will not be carried out on the three plants due to “the extremely short period of continued operation”, ZDF reported, citing the law.
