Munich – Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder is renewing his call for a shift in Germany‘s energy policy, advocating for the construction of gas power plants, continued use of nuclear power, and domestic resource extraction. Söder argues these steps are crucial for economic recovery,criticizing current policies as “dishonest” and damaging to German competitiveness.
Despite claims that nuclear power offers inexpensive energy, Söder maintains its necessity, even as former nuclear reactor operators point to costs of up to 49 cents per kilowatt hour, making it the most expensive form of electricity generation.He also criticized state subsidies for renewable energy and gas, stating, “We are driving down energy prices with state money rather of relying on cheap generation.”
Söder highlighted what he sees as contradictions in Germany’s energy sourcing, noting the contry imports fracking gas from the USA and purchases nuclear power from France and the Czech Republic while simultaneously rejecting domestic gas drilling and nuclear energy. He urged the utilization of gas reserves in northern Germany and a serious evaluation of mining rare earths domestically.
Echoing CDU leader Friedrich Merz, Söder emphasized the need to prioritize competitiveness, warning that the focus on electric vehicles threatens Germany’s automotive industry and thousands of jobs. “It is crucial that we stop restricting ourselves,” he stated.