German Minister Criticises Nuclear Reactor Safety
Date: 16-Jan-06
Country: GERMANY
"Safety management in German facilities shows considerable defects," Gabriel said.
"It's always said that we have the safest atomic power stations. That may be true for the technology in the newest generation but not for the older ones," he said.
He said the Biblis A and B reactors in the western state of Hesse showed particular defects, such as lacking a facility to allow the reactor to be controlled externally in case of emergency.
Gabriel's comments come amid a growing debate in Germany over the future of its nuclear power stations, due to be gradually phased out under plans laid down by the previous government of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
The argument has pitted Social Democrats like Gabriel, who want to stick to the phase-out plans, against conservatives like Hesse state premier Roland Koch who have called for the runtimes to be extended given high oil prices and potential threats to other energy sources like natural gas.
The coalition government of Social Democrats and conservatives led by Angela Merkel has pledged to maintain the phase-out plans, despite conservative objections.
Gabriel said he would review supervision of the plants, and had asked the International Atomic Energy Agency to send an expert team to Germany.
"I want an independent review of the structure and standards of our supervisory practice so that I can say afterwards whether and what can improve in this area.
