Germany drops opposition to nuclear power in rapprochement with France

Access and Article Context

• Some commenters note difficulty accessing the FT piece behind JS/captcha, but the thread largely assumes familiarity with Germany softening its anti-nuclear stance at the EU level, not at home.

Is This a Real Policy Shift?

• Several argue the “rapprochement” is mostly about Germany no longer obstructing pro‑nuclear EU rules, rather than building or reopening reactors domestically.
• Key practical impact discussed: France currently gets fined under EU renewable targets because nuclear is excluded from “renewables”; changing that is seen as a genuine, meaningful win for France.
• Multiple commenters insist there is “zero chance” Germany will build new plants; public opinion, party politics, and past compensation deals with utilities are cited.

Economics: Nuclear vs Renewables + Storage

• One side claims PV + batteries are now cheaper than new nuclear, with rapidly falling costs for solar modules and storage, especially in China; cites Vogtle’s cost as a negative benchmark.
• Opponents argue LCOE is misleading for intermittent sources; nuclear’s high capacity factor and grid‑stability value aren’t captured. They reference “value‑adjusted” metrics that make nuclear competitive if plants aren’t shut down for political reasons.
• Long exchanges debate:
  • System costs for renewables: batteries, grid expansion, synchronous condensers, backup gas, hydrogen, etc.
  • Whether grid upgrade costs for renewables are modest or seriously underestimated (Australian AEMO numbers disputed).
  • Gas turbine and storage costs, and whether current price spikes are structural or cyclical.
• China is used both as a pro‑nuclear example (large nuclear buildout alongside huge solar) and as evidence that nuclear still trails renewables in deployment.

Grid Reliability, Inertia, and Blackouts

• Engineers point out that high renewable penetration stresses inertia and voltage/frequency control.
• The recent Iberian blackout is repeatedly referenced: some blame fragile high‑renewable grids; others stress the root cause is not fully known and note that “spinning metal” grids have also failed historically.
• Pumped hydro is highlighted as superior long‑duration storage where geography allows; lithium batteries are seen as vital for short‑term balancing but have fire risks.

Safety, Waste, and Risk Perception

• Pro‑nuclear voices emphasize contained, small‑volume waste (dry casks, deep repositories) vs diffuse CO₂ emissions.
• Anti‑nuclear commenters stress long‑lived waste, repository uncertainties (e.g., Asse II), historical ocean dumping, and political decisions to evacuate large areas after accidents.
• There is a long sub‑thread on radiation risk models (LNT vs alternatives), evacuations at Fukushima, deaths from power shortages versus radiation, and whether safety expectations for nuclear are held to an unrealistically absolute standard.
• Local health concerns (e.g., reported higher childhood leukemia near plants, elevated cancer risk for workers) are raised; others question the strength/interpretation of this evidence.

Climate, Emissions, and Fair Comparisons

• Several posts contrast Germany’s relatively high CO₂ intensity with France’s low‑carbon nuclear-heavy mix, accusing German anti‑nuclear policy of worsening emissions.
• Counterarguments focus on:
  • Long‑term competitiveness: renewables + storage costs trending down versus nuclear’s slowness and cost overruns.
  • Waste, accident risk, and consent to imposed risks on distant or future populations.
  • Dependence on uranium imports versus fossil fuel imports, and the role of subsidies on all sides.

EU Politics and Influence

• Commenters note that in the EU, member states necessarily influence each other’s choices; the issue is whether Germany should be able to block others’ nuclear paths via regulation and funding of anti‑nuclear NGOs.
• Some expect a broader political trade between France and Germany: Germany eases its blocking of nuclear; France gives ground elsewhere (unspecified in the thread).