German parliament votes to extend nuclear power amid energy crisis

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - The German parliament on Friday gave green light to extend the lifespan of three nuclear power plants amid the ongoing energy crisis in the country.

The Bundestag has decided to temporarily continue the operation of the last three German nuclear power plants – Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland – until April 15 next year.

As part of Germany's nuclear phaseout plans, the three power plants were to shut down at the end of the year.

In a roll-call vote, 375 MPs voted in favor of amending the Atomic Energy Act, 216 voted against and 70 abstained, as Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki announced.

In a last step, it is still up to the upper house of the parliament – the Federal Council –which could deal with the issue at its meeting on Nov. 25. However, it is very unlikely that it will veto the plans.

The decision of the Bundestag is the provisional conclusion of a heated dispute within the center-left government coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats.

Last month, Chancellor Olaf Scholz had decided to continue the operation of the remaining three nuclear power plants until mid-April next year at the latest.

"The legal basis will be created to enable the power operation of the Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland nuclear power plants beyond Dec. 31, 2022, until April 15, 2023, at the latest," Scholz said reportedly in a letter sent to Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and Finance Minister Christian Lindner.

Germany mothballed three nuclear reactors in 2021, and shutting the remaining three would have officially marked the end of the nuclear phaseout for domestic energy production that had first started under former Chancellor Angela Merkel.