Atomic battle
September 18, 2009
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday categorically rejected claims by the Social Democrats and the Greens that her party, the Christian Democrats, plan to begin building new nuclear reactors following the election.
"We have already established that we don't want any new nuclear power plants," Merkel said in Berlin, adding that she didn't know anyone in the party who was entertaining such thoughts.
The announcement follows a revelation that the German Science Minister Annette Schavan had received a report back in June that indicated that the country should build new atomic reactors. The 60-page report, compiled by some 100 scientists, concluded that nuclear power is essential to guarantee a cost-effective and low-carbon energy source for Germany.
The science ministry had attempted to keep the report under wraps until after the election. The country's environment minister, Social Democrat Sigmar Gabriel, has accused the Christian Democrats of misleading voters.
Studying reactor safety
The Financial Times Deutschland reported on Friday that the economics ministry had signed a 1.3 million euro contract with a firm to carry out a study on the security of the nation's reactors over the next three years. The project is meant to be implemented on October 1, following national elections this coming Sunday.
Economics Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg defended the project and said that the study is necessary to assess security in comparison to neighboring countries.
Renate Kuenast, lead candidate for the Greens, however, isn't convinced and has accused Chancellor Merkel's party of playing games when it comes to nuclear power.
"The CDU nuclear power plant construction plans continue to become more and more concrete," Kuenast told the paper.
Still searching for a nuclear waster storage site
While Merkel denies that her party has any desire to build more nuclear reactors, there are atomic issues she would like to pursue, specifically investigating the possibility of turning a salt mine near the town of Gorleben in northern Germany into a long-term storage facility for nuclear waste. According to Merkel, looking for alternatives is currently not on the agenda.
mrm/AP/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Susan Houlton