Greens hope for compromise on closing Germany's nuclear plants
BERLIN: Germany's Greens said Friday they were looking for a clear sign of
compromise by operators of the country's 19 nuclear power plants, after the
government coalition presents its plans on shutting them all down in 30
years.
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was to meet Friday evening with the major plant
operators, but ahead of those talks the Greens party was out publicly
supporting their proposal.
The coalition was going "a long way" by offering plant operators a chance to
compromise on a flexible shutdown period, Greens spokeswoman Gunda Rostel
said on Berlin radio station Hundert,6.
Antje Radcke, in an interview on Suedwestfunk radio, said the operators
would "be hurting themselves" if they didn't accept the proposal - because
they would be risking legislation by the government to shut the plants down
after 30 years with no exceptions.
Schroeder's centrist Social Democrats and the Greens party said shortly
after taking office in late 1998 that it would give the nuclear industry a
year to reach a deal to voluntarily close the plants before moving to
legislate their shutdown.
Nuclear industry leaders have said they need at least 35 years of operating
time to recover money invested in the plants and to meet their obligations
to stock holders. They have threatened huge damage claims if they are forced
to prematurely shut down plants that were duly licensed by the previous
conservative-led government.
Schroeder has insisted the coalition and the operators can work out a way to
avoid the damage claims. Government spokeswoman Charima Reinhardt said in
Berlin Friday that Schroeder would be "exploring compromise possibilities,"
in his meeting later with the operators.
But opponents to nuclear plant shutdowns remained adamant.
In an interview with Bild newspaper published Friday, the ultraconservative
governor of Bavaria, Edmund Stoiber, threatened to file suit in Germany's
highest court should the government's shutdown plans take effect.
Stoiber said the nuclear energy industry was politically far too important
to leave a decision on it to the center-left government and the operators.
"Bavaria will use all political and legal possibilities against nuclear
plant shutdowns," Stoiber said.
He said getting rid of the nuclear plants would mean more gas and coal would
be used instead, resulting in an increase in pollution endangering the
atmosphere. (AP)
For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
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