German states warn against allowing nuclear plants to produce more power

German power customers are at risk of paying more if nuclear plants in regions with a high share of renewable energy sources are allowed to produce more energy, the council of federal state governments in Germany (Bundesrat) has warned. Nuclear plant operators have been granted a compensation for Germany’s 2011 decision to accelerate a nuclear exit and are allowed to transfer residual amounts of power generation of retired nuclear plants to other power plants. However, the Bundesrat says customers might end up paying more if these residual amounts are produced in nuclear plants still operating in northern Germany, where a high number of wind turbines already accounts for much of the grid’s capacity and costly bottleneck management interventions are common. The Bundesrat says it welcomes a federal government proposal to rule out expanding the lifespan of nuclear plants.

See the CLEW article Germany's constitutional court backs speedy nuclear exit and the CLEW dossier The challenges of Germany’s nuclear phase-out for background.