Support for nuclear and coal power rising among Germans in view of soaring energy prices - survey

In the face of soaring energy prices, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, people in Germany are increasingly in favour of nuclear power if it can reduce costs, according to a survey commissioned by price comparison site Verivox. The survey found that 40 percent of respondents wanted to retain nuclear and coal-fired power plants for the time being in order to dampen the high electricity prices – nearly twice as many as just four years ago. Some 81 percent of Germans expressed concern about the war’s impact on the already high and rising energy prices. "The concern is very justified," said Verivox energy expert Thorsten Storck. “When the war broke out in Ukraine, the wholesale prices for electricity, which had already risen sharply beforehand, rose again significantly.” The price for a megawatt-hour for the coming year is currently around 160 euros – up substantially compared to the previous long-term average of between 35 and 55 euros, he added.

In addition, 42 percent of Germans currently support an extension of the coal phase-out, up from only 12 percent just six months ago. Some 54 percent say that nuclear power is needed to become less dependent on imported energy, while 42 percent see coal-fired power as a suitable means of minimising dependence on foreign energy supplies. A majority of the population nevertheless supports the government's climate policy goals, with 80 percent even calling for the switch to renewable energy to be accelerated in view of the Ukraine war.