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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHere you see the direct comparison between the AfD\u2019s claim and the actual composition of the German household electricity price in 2024 (Kaizen Blog graphic 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The AfD suggests that high prices arise almost exclusively from \u201cexpensive production\u201d and that nuclear power would immediately remedy the situation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In reality, taxes and levies make up more than half of the electricity price, while the actual generation costs \u2013 even without nuclear power \u2013 account for only about one fifth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This clearly shows: Even with nuclear energy, consumer prices in Germany would hardly decrease as long as the high system of charges and levies remains unchanged. Even if Germany were to lower its excessive taxes and levies on electricity, all forms of energy would benefit \u2013 not just nuclear power. Since nuclear electricity already has the highest production costs today, it would remain more expensive than wind or solar power without massive subsidies. So, reducing the levies would lower final prices, but would not suddenly make nuclear energy the cheapest option.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe analysis of the German electricity price for 2024 reveals a clear structure: About half of the final consumer price consists of taxes, levies, and government-imposed surcharges, while procurement, distribution, and grid fees together make up only the other half. A return to nuclear power would hardly change this in the short term. As long as the existing levies and grid fees remain unchanged, even inexpensive baseload power from nuclear energy would have only a minor effect on the end price for households. In the long run, stable procurement costs could slightly lower the wholesale price, but without a profound reform of the price structure, consumers would benefit only minimally. The crucial lever for lowering electricity prices therefore does not lie in the technological question, but in a structural reduction of taxes and levies. (Kaizen Blog graphic 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But those who talk like this reveal less of a plan than a fundamental ignorance of all the technical, economic, and ecological realities of energy policy. It\u2019s the old AfD recipe: beating the drum loudly, shortening complex interrelationships, mocking science \u2013 and suggesting that they themselves have the \u201csimple\u201d answers to all problems.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nCO\u2082 \u2013 The invisible accelerant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Before discussing reserve power plants or nuclear energy, one must understand why energy policy is in motion at all. The central driver is climate change, triggered by the massive emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO\u2082). This gas is produced when coal, oil, and gas are burned and acts like a heat trap in our atmosphere. The physics behind it are simple and have been known for over 150 years: CO\u2082 molecules absorb the thermal radiation that the earth tries to radiate into space and keep it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The consequences are long measurable and scientifically undisputed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Rising average temperatures:<\/strong> The last ten years have been the warmest since records began.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Extreme weather events:<\/strong> Heatwaves, heavy rainfall, forest fires, and floods are increasing in frequency and intensity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ice and glacier melt:<\/strong> The polar ice caps are losing mass at a dramatic pace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Sea level rise:<\/strong> Coastal regions around the world are at risk of sinking, millions of people are becoming climate refugees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nData on the effects of climate change (Kaizen Blog graphic 2025):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 2\u00b0C rise in global mean temperature<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1.5-fold increase in extreme weather events<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2 trillion tons of ice and glacier melt<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 3.3 mm sea level rise per year<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Every additional ton of CO\u2082 exacerbates this effect. That\u2019s why it\u2019s not \u201cenergy madness\u201d when states try to reduce fossil fuels \u2013 it\u2019s plain common sense. Anyone who, like the AfD, ignores or ridicules these connections is playing with the livelihoods of future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is a Dunkelflaute \u2013 and why do we need reserve power plants?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Weidel speaks disparagingly of \u201cDunkelflauten\u201d without even hinting that she understands what she is talking about. A Dunkelflaute is a period in which there is little wind and the sun doesn\u2019t shine at the same time. In Germany, such phases typically occur in winter when high-pressure systems bring stable, windless cold and the days are short.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHere is a scientific graphic illustrating the situation during a period of low wind and solar generation (graphic Kaizen Blog 2025):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The black line shows constant electricity demand (30 GW).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Light blue stands for wind power, orange for solar power.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Red dashed shows how much reserve power plants must compensate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The gray area marks the Dunkelflaute, in which hardly any wind or solar power is available.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This makes it clear why flexible reserve power plants are needed to ensure security of supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To keep the power grid stable even when renewable energies deliver little, reserve power plants are kept on standby. They do not run continuously, but only start up when needed. Gas is particularly suitable because gas power plants can be ramped up within minutes \u2013 unlike coal or nuclear, which are much slower to respond. These reserve capacities cost money even if they remain idle most of the time. That consumers contribute to this is not a whim of politics, but a logical consequence of grid stability and security of supply. Without such mechanisms, blackouts threaten, which would cost billions in economic damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nCurrent levelized cost of electricity: Nuclear vs. renewable energies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A look at the real levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) shows that nuclear power is by far the most expensive form of energy generation. According to current data (IEA, Lazard, Fraunhofer ISE, 2023\/24), average LCOE are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Nuclear: 120\u2013180 \u20ac\/MWh<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Natural gas (CCGT): 70\u2013100 \u20ac\/MWh (depending on market price)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Wind onshore: 35\u201380 \u20ac\/MWh<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Wind offshore: 50\u2013100 \u20ac\/MWh<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Photovoltaics: 30\u201360 \u20ac\/MWh<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Nuclear electricity is thus two to six times more expensive than electricity from renewables. In addition, construction times for nuclear power plants regularly get out of hand. Example: The Flamanville nuclear power plant Flamanville<\/strong> in France, which was originally scheduled to go online in 2012 \u2013 final completion was expected by mid-2024, with costs exploding from 3.3 to over 13 billion euros. On December 21, 2024, it finally happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n2. Environmental and safety problems of nuclear power<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the horrendous costs, the environmental compatibility of nuclear power is often whitewashed. But reality looks different:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Radioactive waste: There is no final repository for high-level radioactive waste worldwide. The Asse in Germany or Fukushima show how problematic even interim storage is.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Accident risk: Even in high-tech countries, there is no absolute safety. Harrisburg, Chernobyl, Fukushima are warnings of the risks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Climate sensitivity: With increasing heatwaves and droughts, the risk of cooling problems increases, which can lead to shutdowns or incidents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Water consumption: The underestimated problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Nuclear power plants require enormous amounts of cooling water \u2013 about 2.7 billion liters per day for a large plant. This exacerbates water scarcity in many regions, especially during hot summers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Estimation of cooling water requirements for a single nuclear power plant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
A large nuclear power plant in Germany has a thermal output of about 3,000 MW and an electrical output of about 1,200 MW. This means that about 1,800 MW must be dissipated as waste heat, mostly via cooling water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using a simplified formula, you can calculate how much water is needed to dissipate this heat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Q = m \u2022 c \u2022 \u0394T<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Q = dissipated heat energy (in joules)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- m = mass of water (in kilograms)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- c = specific heat capacity of water (about 4.186 J\/g\u00b0C)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u0394T = temperature difference (e.g., 10\u00b0C increase in the cooling system)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Using typical values for a nuclear power plant, one quickly arrives at a daily cooling water consumption in the range of several hundred million liters per plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Extrapolation to all German nuclear power plants<\/strong>
Germany recently had three active nuclear plants (Neckarwestheim 2, Emsland, Isar 2) until the final nuclear phase-out in 2023. Before that, there were six active reactors.
If a single large plant requires 500 to 800 million liters per day, with several plants you actually arrive at billions of liters of cooling water per day, about 2.7 billion liters.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe AfD completely conceals these numbers \u2013 although they are physically undeniable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Extreme weather events:<\/strong> Heatwaves, heavy rainfall, forest fires, and floods are increasing in frequency and intensity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Rising average temperatures:<\/strong> The last ten years have been the warmest since records began.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
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