Legal challenge to German power plant suspensions

01/04/11 16:03 CET

world news

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Power company, RWE, is taking legal action against the German government, after being ordered to shut down one of its plants for three months. Under controversial government plans, the Biblis nuclear facility near Frankfurt faces a three month suspension in operations.

Following on from the nuclear crisis facing Japan after March’s earthquake, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government announced that the country’s seven oldest reactors would have to close for three months. According to the Environment Minister, Norbert Roettgen, planning for plane crashes and earthquakes will also feature in stress tests.

Since the earthquake in Japan, there have been more protests in Germany against nuclear power, with thousands calling for plants to close. However, RWE says that Biblis is safe and there is no reason to stop the facility generating energy.

More about: Ecology, Germany, Nuclear Energy

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Mali: Rebel groups agree to creation of Islamic state

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