Email from EDF:

[exile]

Except that in Germany it was the CDU and Merkel who were unhappy with nuclear power. Fukushima put the nail in the coffin when not one single power plant passed the resilience tests.

Interestingly it seems the new new cross party government is the one looking at extending the life of the remaining plants - my guess is it may be too late for anything substantial.

[niemeyjt]

Except that in Germany it was the CDU and Merkel who were unhappy with nuclear power. Fukushima put the nail in the coffin when not one single power plant passed the resilience tests.

Interestingly it seems the new new cross party government is the one looking at extending the life of the remaining plants - my guess is it may be too late for anything substantial.

Indeed, history will be less forgiving on Merkel's legacy than we are now.

However, three of the six nuclear plants inherited by the current administration have closed since they took office - and plans have been accelerated to close the coal plants as well - although maybe the nuclear plants could be reopened? Certainly delays to the closure of coal-fired plants are possible but unlikely to pass the Greens. All of which leaves Germany dependent on the whims of a genocidal maniac in the Kremlin.

[MAD87]

Yes, and Germany is much more reliant on Russian gas than we are. The one good thing to come out of the Covid-Ukraine crises is that each country needs to rethink its manufacturing/supply situation.

[niemeyjt]

Exactly.

But widening the topic from EDF, we also need to rethink our green strategies.

Is it really a good idea to cripple European industries with green taxes directly and through energy costs thereby rendering them even less competitive compared to Asian economies that do not share the European green vision?

edit - and let us not forget that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is also Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee of the Nord Stream operating company that brings Russian gas into Germany.

[MAD87]

I read somewhere in the last few months that green energies will never wholly or otherwise replace fossil fuels. China is covering its landscape with solar parks but I bet their tourists will still come here in droves (by air...).
I'm sure the world's clever scientists would come up with a suitable solution if left alone by the politicos.

[Mangetout]

No email received here nor anything on local radio which raises the question of whether the problem at the moment is impacting the distribution networks rather than a shortage of electricity per se.

No email here in 49.

[Hotrodder]

Or here in 22.