German Chancellor dismisses return to nuclear power despite energy struggles

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he does not believe Germany’s energy challenges can be resolved through the resumption of nuclear power plant operations. He stated that the country’s decision to abandon civilian nuclear energy is not open to revision.

While acknowledging that the nuclear phase-out itself was a mistake, Merz stressed that returning to nuclear energy would not provide a meaningful solution to Germany’s current energy problems, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

He added that the consequences of shutting down nuclear power plants have been compounded by the phase-out of coal-fired power stations and Russian energy supplies, factors he said have contributed to a prolonged economic downturn.

Germany had previously aimed to achieve climate neutrality by 2045, relying in part on gas supplies from Russia, which Berlin has so far been unable to replace with alternatives offering comparable prices and availability.

By Vafa Guliyeva