Germany to end nuclear power by 2020

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/173063.html

The German government plans to phase out all nuclear power plants in the country by 2020, a decision that could cost millions of euros in losses every year for the utility industries.

“A decision has been taken to shut down eight plants before the end of this year and they definitely won't be reactivated. And the remaining nine will be shut down by the end of the decade," Juergen Becker, Germany's deputy environment minister, told Reuters on Monday.

“Japan has shown that even if there is a miniscule occurrence, the residual risk is too high to justify the continuation of nuclear power.... It is better to go for other energy services in a civilized country," he said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, however, has repeatedly announced that the plan has not been approved yet and that her cabinet intends to analyze the reports of two separate government-appointed commissions, one of which held its first meeting on Monday in the Chancellery.

“All of these issues [resulting from a possible nuclear power phase out] should be discussed, weighted and quantified," Merkel said on Monday before the meeting.

The decision could cost millions of euros every year for four of the big utility companies, RWE, E.ON, EnBW and Vattenfall.