Germany to close all nuclear power plants!

Reuters, May 30, 2011

Banner says "ATOMIC POWER, NO THANKS." Demonstrators protest in front of Biblis nuclear power plant on March 20. In the wake of the Fukushina disaster, Germany plans to abandon nuclear energy (Reuters/Ralph Orlowski).

Germany will move out of nuclear power, keeping shut eight suspended reactors and closing the rest by 2022 in response to Japan's Fukushima disaster and following after a dramatic policy reversal by the coalition government at the weekend.

The decision, which came amid mass demonstrations against nuclear power, must be legally validated in parliament and could face strong opposition from utility companies.

Below is a list of the country's seven oldest reactors which were suspended after the Fukushima incident and an eighth, Vattenfall's Kruemmel, which was shut for other reasons. These were going to be shut until at least mid-June for safety reviews and now will probably never restart. More

• German government wants nuclear exit by 2022 at latest
• German nuclear shutdown weighs on Europe shares
• Analyst View: Germany's nuclear exit plan
• CORRECTED - Europe stocks dip early; German utilities hit
• Germany to decide on nuclear phase-out plans
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