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German Chancellor Merz Calls Nuclear Phase-Out a 'Serious Strategic Mistake'

Chancellor Merz said Germany’s nuclear phase-out led to high costs and energy import reliance, threatening security and price stability, with renewables at 65% in 2024.

  • On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany's nuclear phase-out was a serious strategic mistake and blamed the previous German government for restrictive energy policies.
  • The phase-out followed policy to reduce nuclear risks and speed the Energiewende after the Fukushima disaster, concluding in April 2023 as the final three reactors went offline while renewables supplied around 65% of domestic energy.
  • Technical and regulatory barriers mean closed reactors must be rebuilt and gain new approvals, while Friedrich Merz proposed restarting closed reactors, boosting output, completing plants, and building 10 new large reactors by 2030.
  • Merz warned that Germany lacks sufficient generation capacity and said reliance on imports by the German power industry has raised costs, risking permanent federal budget subsidies: 'We can't do this in the long run.'
  • Germany's plans come as other countries expand nuclear capacity; it aims for at least six new reactors by mid-2030s despite costs, while France's 57 reactors meet 70% needs and China, U.S. expand fleets.
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SocialViewer question: Who thinks Germans are a nation made up of people who don't understand that you'll have a problem with your energy production if you shut down all 17 (seventeen!) nuclear power plants in the country? It's pretty crazy that that's exactly what happened. In a democracy, so to speak. Where ultimately the will of the people prevails. Meanwhile, at most 5-8 reactors are still somewhat restartable if dismantling is stopped now, …

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The Daily CallerThe Daily Caller
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Germany Finally Admits Nuking Its Energy Sector For No Reason Was A Bad Idea

Germany’s political leadership is finally conceding that shutting down the country’s nuclear power plants was a costly mistake.

·Washington, United States
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clashreport.com broke the news on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
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