# E.ON casts doubt on German plan to keep nuclear plants on standby
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-09-08
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Germany's Nuclear Plant Closure Delay Causes Confusion
Meta Description: Germany's plan to delay closure of nuclear plants faces technical challenges, operators uncertain. Government in talks to resolve issue.
URL: https://financedigest.com/e-on-casts-doubt-on-german-plan-to-keep-nuclear-plants-on-standbyhtml

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BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s plans to delay the closure of two nuclear plants were thrown into confusion on Wednesday, with the operator of one saying the request to keep it on standby was not technically possible, but the government saying it had been misunderstood.

On Monday, Berlin announced plans to keep two of its three remaining nuclear power stations on standby to ensure enough electricity supply through the winter during a gas crunch.

However, E.ON, the operator of one of the plants, said it did not believe it was technically possible to put its Isar 2 facility in reserve mode beyond its scheduled closure at the end of 2022.

We communicated on Monday evening that [nuclear power](https://www.financedigest.com/edf-edison-ansaldo-team-up-to-develop-nuclear-power-in-europe.html "EDF, Edison, Ansaldo team up to develop nuclear power in Europe") plants are not suitable for reserve power plant operation for technical reasons,” said E.ON, adding it was in contact with the government on the issue.

EnBW, which operates the other nuclear plant, Neckarwestheim 2, said it was also clarifying [details and questions it had with the ministry and would weigh in on the suggested plans](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-u-s-offers-new-details-on-plan-to-cap-russian-oil-prices.html "Factbox-U.S. offers new details on plan to cap Russian oil prices") after looking at the technical and organisational feasibility.

[German Economy](https://www.financedigest.com/german-economy-expected-to-skirt-recession-economy-ministry-report.html "German economy expected to skirt recession – economy ministry report") Minister Robert Habeck said he was “somewhat bewildered” after receiving E.ON’s letter, which cast doubt on the plan’s workability.

Habeck said it seemed technicians at Preussen Elektra, which is responsible for operating and decommissioning E.ON’s nuclear assets, did not understand that the [plan did not involve turning nuclear](https://www.financedigest.com/australias-nuclear-submarine-plan-to-cost-up-to-245-billion-by-2055-defence-official.html "Australia’s nuclear submarine plan to cost up to 5 billion by 2055 -defence official") power plants on and off repeatedly.

[Energy state secretary Patrick Graichen said in a letter](https://www.financedigest.com/german-tax-authorities-should-show-leniency-to-households-firms-amid-energy-crisis-letter.html "German tax authorities should show leniency to households, firms amid energy crisis – letter") to E.ON, [seen by Reuters](https://www.financedigest.com/the-logo-of-french-cloud-computing-company-ovhcloud-is-seen-on-a-data-center-building-in-strasbourg-france-october-13-2021-reuters-christian-hartmann.html "The logo of French cloud computing company OVHcloud is seen on a data-center building in Strasbourg, France, October 13, 2021.  REUTERS/Christian Hartmann"), that it could not foresee what technical problems would arise from putting the plant on standby.

Either the standby proposal will be deemed necessary in December, in which case one or both reactors would remain in operation, or [power stations could be restarted](https://www.financedigest.com/germanys-uniper-to-restart-coal-fired-power-plant-as-gazprom-halts-supply-to-europe.html "Germany’s Uniper to restart coal-fired power plant as Gazprom halts supply to Europe") in January or February, said the letter.

E.ON was not immediately available to comment on the government’s remarks.

(Reporting by Tom Kaeckenhoff, Markus Wacket and Holger Hansen; Writing by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Mark Potter; Editing by Miranda Murray)


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