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The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine marks a change in the energy debate throughout Europe – and in Germany the question arises that no one actually dared to ask any more: should the operating lives of active nuclear power plants be extended after all?

Regardless of supporters and opponents of nuclear power, would this even be realistic? According to technology historian Anna Veronika Wendland, an extension is technically possible. The main thing lacking is the courage of politicians. Finding sufficient personnel is also not an insurmountable problem, according to physicist Ulrich Waas, who sat on the Reactor Safety Commission from 2005 to 2021.

Opponents of nuclear power, on the other hand, argue both with the financial challenge that an extension of the operating times would entail and with safety risks. But what would be the true cost of extending operating times?

A film by Anna Pflüger and Teresa Liesenfeld
Camera: Ricardo E. Garzon Mesa / Lawrence Richards / René Schröter
Editing: Lodur Tettenborn
Editing: Michael Wiedemann
Director of the program: Cathérine Kipp

A production by K22 on behalf of ZDF

30 min | 2022