25 April 2023, Arirang Radio KOREA NOW, “Germany finally became a nuclear free country.”
25 April 2023, Arirang Radio KOREA NOW, “Germany finally became a nuclear free country.”
Host>
Host> As of April 15, Germany finally became a nuclear free country. The war in Ukraine, the global energy crisis has hit the world, and many nations including S.Korea is turning to nuclear powers as a realistic alternative to reduce carbon emission...which is why Germany’s decision is getting much attention from the global community. We are going to talk about that with our Frankfurt correspondent, 최경헌 via Zoom. Hello? (인사)
Hello, it's great to be here with you today from Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
https://thedeepdive.ca/e-on-hikes-energy-prices-45-as-germany-winds-down-its-last-nuclear-plants/
Despite receiving government support for industrial expansion and experiencing lower prices, Germany's electricity generation total during the first quarter of 2023 remained 10% lower than the same period in 2022. This indicates that the overall supply is still limited compared to early 2022 levels, and businesses are hesitant to increase their energy use due to the average power prices, which are more than twice the average from 2017 to 2021.
Furthermore, the reduced electricity generation totals suggest that power producers may be facing challenges in increasing overall generation levels due to the declining supply of nuclear power output and the continued limited availability of natural gas.
German multinational electric utility, E.ON, has announced an increase in its prices by up to 45% starting from June 1. This move comes alongside the closure of nuclear plants. However, E.ON is not alone in this price increase. According to the comparison portal Verivox, basic providers in Nordrhein-Westfalen, which is a german state have announced or implemented 98 electrical price increases since the beginning of this year, with an average increase of 45%.
According to a recent survey conducted by YouGov in Germany, 65% of respondents expressed their desire for the existing nuclear power plants to remain operational in the short term. However, the majority of those surveyed also indicated their ultimate preference for the plants to be shut down.
Critics of the planned shutdowns argue that nuclear power offers a low-emission energy source and have highlighted the fact that Germany increased its use of coal as it shifted away from Russian gas in the past year.
Meanwhile, proponents and opponents of nuclear power alike agree that renewable energy must play a larger role in Germany's energy future.
As a reporter, I utilized the Instagram survey feature to gather public opinion regarding this issue. Out of the respondents, 46% agreed with the decision of the German government, stating that expanding renewable energy is crucial as nuclear power plants pose a significant risk of accidents.
On the other hand, 54% of the respondents opposed the decision, arguing that nuclear energy is one of the most efficient sources of energy that does not emit carbon-dioxide. They believe that the concerns regarding accidents are solely based on emotional reactions towards nuclear energy.
Steffen Lemke, the German Environment Minister, wrote an article for the German media in which he stated that "phasing out nuclear power will make Germany even safer" and acknowledged that the possibility of catastrophic accidents like the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 or the Fukushima disaster in 2011 cannot be entirely ruled out in any nuclear power plant.
He further stated that it is fortunate that with the end of nuclear power, highly radioactive nuclear waste will no longer be produced. He highlighted that nuclear power has supplied electricity for three generations, but the burden of nuclear waste disposal will fall on the shoulders of 30,000 future generations.