CDU party leader Friedrich Merz has warned of a power failure in winter if Germany sticks to the nuclear phase-out. "There is a risk of the power grid being completely overloaded in autumn and winter, as well as an inadequate supply of electricity," Merz told the "Bild am Sonntag". If only every fifth gas customer heats with electricity this winter, the electricity demand of private households will double, said Merz. "If this government continues like this and sticks to the nuclear phase-out for ideological reasons, we are threatened with a blackout at the beginning of next year."

Merz called for the ordering of new fuel rods for the continued operation of at least the three nuclear power plants in Germany that have not yet been shut down: "We would have made sure by August at the latest that new fuel rods would have been ordered at least for the three nuclear power plants that are still running, possibly also for the three , which were shut down last year. This would initially provide a total of 20 million households with a secure supply of electricity."

Because of the energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, there has been a debate for months as to whether the three remaining nuclear power plants should run longer, even though their power operation authorization expires at the end of the year. The federal government consisting of the SPD, Greens and FDP is currently testing the security of the power supply in a stress test. Then she wants to decide whether the nuclear power plants will run a little longer.