Germany close to ending nuclear power

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Germany close to ending nuclear power

BERLIN, June 14 (Reuters) - Germany was set to clinch a deal on 
Wednesday to close down its nuclear plants inside 30 years, making it 
the first global industrial power to take such a step. 

Talks between Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's government and the 
chiefs of the German energy industry were to begin at 8:30 p.m. (1830 
GMT). A news conference was due at 10:30 p.m. 

Government spokesman Uwe-Karsten Heye told journalists there was ``a 
good chance to reach a result finally.'' 

In another sign that a deal was imminent, Schroeder scheduled another 
news conference at 1200 GMT on Thursday. A press association official 
said Environment Minister Juergen Trittin and Economics Minister 
Werner Mueller, a former energy industry official, would also be 
present. 

Closure of Germany's 19 reactors, which cover around a third of its 
electricity needs, was a key manifesto pledge of the Greens, the 
junior partner in Schroeder's coalition. 

But the plans under discussion do not answer the Greens' original 
call for an immediate pull-out -- a point which could yet spell 
trouble for the plans and for the coalition. 

REACTORS TO CLOSE BEFORE 2030? 

The 18-month-long negotiations, often acrimonious, have instead 
centred on allowing a total 30-35 years' average working life for the 
reactors. 

Sources close to the talks foresee a compromise under which the last 
reactor would be shut down in the late 2020s. 

The energy sector -- which includes the country's four top nuclear 
providers, Veba, Viag, RWE and Energie Baden Wuerttemberg AG -- has 
pushed for a longer timeframe. 

Government officials said the talks had been scheduled for two hours 
on the basis that there was a good chance of a deal. 

``We are working on the assumption that we will be successful,'' said 
an Economics Ministry spokeswoman. Industry officials have also 
expressed optimism, albeit more cautiously. 

Wednesday's talks were due to focus on the timeframe. 

A proposed compromise would permit total production by the reactors 
of 2,600 terawatt-hours of electricity, implying a total working life 
of 31-33 years for the nuclear plants, the sources close to the talks 
said. 

COUNTRY DIVIDED 

The issue of nuclear power divides the country politically and 
geographically. 

The commitment to withdraw from nuclear power -- which only Sweden 
has taken among major industrial powers -- is fraught with tensions 
for Schroeder and his junior partners the Greens. 

Some Greens have called for a break-up of the coalition if the exit 
from nuclear power is not swift enough. 

They have been dismayed by Schroeder's insistence that the move be 
carried out in consensus with the energy industry to avoid potential 
compensation claims. 

Opinion polls suggest many Germans support the move. Over the years 
the issue has prompted pitched battles between police and protesters 
trying to stop nuclear waste shipments. 

But opposition conservatives who rule the southern states where many 
of the reactors -- and jobs -- are located say they will reverse the 
move if they get back into power. 

Many of the waste depots are in northern states, ruled by pro-
government politicians who back the withdrawal. 

Even if a deal between government and industry is reached, it faces a 
number of potential hurdles. 

One of the biggest would be a Greens congress in little over a week 
which could instruct party leaders to reject the deal. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
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