nuclear in Germany.docVIP

Nuclear in Germany All German nuclear plants are scheduled to be shut down by 2036. The topic received renewed attention at the start of 2007 due to the political impact of the Russia-Belarus energy dispute and in 2011 after the Fukushima I nuclear accidents. Germany, like most countries in the world, generates the majority of its electricity from traditional fossil fuel sources. Nuclear power was developing as a major source of generation until political pressure stopped its growth in the mid-1980s. Since then no new generating stations have been constructed. As in many industrialized countries, nuclear power in Germany was first developed in the late 1950s. Only a few experimental reactors went online before 1960, and an experimental nuclear power station in Kahl am Main opened in 1960. All of the German nuclear power plants that opened between 1960 and 1970 had a power output of less than 1,000?MW and have now all closed down. The first commercial nuclear power plant started operating in 1969. Obrigheim, the first grid station, operated until 1989. Nuclear power accidents in Germany 1. Date 4 May 1986 Location Hamm-Uentrop, Germany Description Operator actions to dislodge damaged fuel rod at Experimental High Temperature Gas Reactor release excessive radiation to 4 km2 surrounding the facility Cost (in millions 2006 US$) 267 Victims killed/injured 0/0 2. Date 17 December 1987 Location Hesse, Germany Description Stop valve fails at Biblis Nuclear Power Plant and contaminates local area Cost (in millions 2006 US$) 13 Victims killed/injured 0/0 3. Date 7 December 1975 Location Greifswald, East Germany Description Electrical error causes fire in the main trough that destroys control lines and 5 main coolant pumps and partly induces meltdown Cost (in millions 2006 US$) 443 Victims killed/injured 0/0 Anti-nuclear movement in Germany Politics Eight of the seventeen operating reactors in Germany have been temporarily shut down since 14.3.2011 due to Fukushima I n