Germany may not be able to replace all its imports of Russian natural gas this winter and might have to resort to nuclear power to plug part of the gap, the nation’s two most powerful leaders said.
Europe is in the middle of its worst energy crisis for decades, which has fueled inflation and put nations at the brink of a recession. That’s forcing politicians to look at all alternatives available, including atomic energy, a technology Germany had decided to exit permanently by the end of the year.
Speaking at a government open day in Berlin on Sunday, both Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Economy Minister Robert Habeck emphasized that while there’s an option of extending the lives of the nation’s three last reactors beyond December, it’s only under consideration because of the increasing worries that Europe’s biggest economy won’t be able to replace dwindling natural gas supplies from Russia.
