Germany becoming the first major industrial power to give up atomic power and rely entirely on other sources of energy, decided to shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2022.
The decision, announced by Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen announced the decision after that meeting of leaders of the ruling coalition headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition announced a date of 2022 for all the country’s 17 reactors to close, reversing a plan pushed through parliament last year to extend the operation of the facilities by an average of 12 years. Merkel said in March that Japan’s Fukushima disaster, the worst nuclear crisis since 1986, forced her to rethink her support for atomic power.
The plan is to shut down most of Germany's 17 nuclear power stations by 2021, but leave three open for another year in case energy shortages develop.
Environmentalists, including the Green Party wanted earlier closures, but business supporters had urged caution, warning that power shortages could cripple industry.
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