26 April marks the 30th anniversary of the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. Against this background, Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks explained:
"Chernobyl has become a warning sign for the risks of nuclear power. Ukraine and its neighbour Belarus are still suffering the consequences of this disaster today. I recently was able to get an overall picture of the current situation at the destroyed reactor - an experience that left a heavy impression on me.
It was not until 25 years after Chernobyl, on 11 June 2011, that a large majority of the German Bundestag made the decision to phase-out nuclear power in Germany. In the wake of the Fukushima disaster, Germany seized the historic opportunity to re-embark on the path towards a modern, sustainable energy system and end the decades of conflict surrounding nuclear energy.
However, nuclear energy casts a long shadow. Our work does not stop once the last German nuclear power plant has been switched off: decommissioning and dismantling will take many years to complete. Decommissioning work has already begun, and in some cases is already finished, at almost 20 nuclear power plants and over 30 research reactors in Germany. As a result, our country is now a technical pioneer when it comes to the demanding task of transitioning from nuclear power to renewable energies.
At the same time, we need make headway on the issue of radioactive waste disposal. The search for a site for a final repository that will shield high-level radioactive waste from the biosphere for a million years is a herculean task. The final repository commission (Endlager-Kommission) will present their proposals this year on further steps to be taken. It is not an easy search to conduct but it is a challenge we accept. We must now focus on ensuring that the nuclear phase-out in Germany is completed responsibly and safely."