Germany’s Oldest Nuclear Plants To be Shut Down in Wake of Japan Crisis

Germany has shut down its seven oldest nuclear reactors so that officials can conduct a safety review in the aftermath of the nuclear crisis in Japan. Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that all seven plants built before the end of 1980 — which account for about 25 percent of the nation’s nuclear capacity — will be powered down during the three-month moratorium. It is unclear if the plants would be switched back on at the end of the moratorium. Germany, which generates 23 percent of its electricity from nuclear power, is the first European country to curtail some nuclear operations in the aftermath of explosions and partial reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima plant in Japan. Meanwhile, the European Union is considering whether to require stress tests at its 143 nuclear plants to ensure that the facilities are structurally sound.