The FDP keeps up its pressure on the coalition partners SPD and Greens for a lifetime extension of the German nuclear power plants. "The FDP is still available to extend the service life of the three remaining nuclear power plants beyond April 2023," Secretary General Bijan Djir-Saai told the German Press Agency in Berlin. In addition to the development of electricity prices, his party is concerned that CO2 emissions are not falling quickly enough because too much coal has to be burned.

"We want our country to have an energy supply that is clean, safe and affordable," emphasized Djir-Sarai. According to him, the fact that millions of people were worried about their electricity bills this winter should be reason enough to reconsider tactical party positions. "Otherwise we see the Economics Minister as having a duty to explain to people how he intends to replace the amounts of electricity that will be lost as a result of the phase-out. We would like to see a concept for this by the turn of the year."

Actually, the three remaining nuclear power plants should have gone offline on December 31st. Because of the energy crisis as a result of the Ukraine war, its duration was extended to April 15. The Greens in particular are reluctant to continue operations beyond this date. They consider the permanent use of nuclear power to be irresponsible - partly because of the long-term unclear handling of radioactive nuclear waste and potential dangers from technical breakdowns, attacks and cyber attacks with incalculable consequences.