Comment & People

German Nuclear Groups Merge To Form New Industry Association

By David Dalton
10 May 2019

10 May (NucNet): The German Atomic Forum (DAtF) and the nuclear industry group WKK have merged to form a new association called Kerntechnik Deutschland, or KernD.

The new association said it offers members, politicians, authorities and social groups “a platform for competence and dialogue” about the nuclear energy industry in Germany.

KernD said its first chairman will be Joachim Ohnemus, managing director of Urenco Deutschland. DAtF’s long-time president Ralf Güldner will be deputy chairman.

The merger of the two organisatons was approved by both boards at the Annual Meeting on Nuclear Technology conference, organized by DAtF, which took place earlier this week in Berlin.

At the conference Mr Ohnemus said KernD wants to contribute to discussions about regulatory processes and legislative procedures and to help frame discussions about the nuclear industry with the general public. “We want to continue to attract students, apprentices, the next generation, which we urgently need, as well as research and teaching,” he said.

Angela Merkel’s government, which had earlier championed nuclear power, decided in the wake of Japan’s 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi accident to immediately close eight of Germany’s oldest nuclear plants and to shutter the other nine by 2022.

DatF has warned on a number of occasions that filling the gap left by nuclear will be costly. It has also said the government needs to retain nuclear skills for decommissioning projects, and research and development.

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