Mass Rally Against Germany's Nuclear Plans

[jpak]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Germany-Protestors-Take-Part-In-Major-Rally-Against-The-Countrys-Expanding-Use-Of-Nuclear-Power/Article/201011115796319?lpos=World_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15796319_Germany%3A_Protestors_Take_Part_In_Major_Rally_Against_The_Countrys_Expanding_Use_Of_Nuclear_Power

More than 10,000 protestors have been taking part in a major rally in Germany as anger mounts over the country's expanding use of nuclear power, police have said.

Thousands of activists also held up a rail convoy of 154 tons of nuclear waste after blocking train tracks on Saturday.

The transport of the material – which was reprocessed at a plant in France before being returned to Germany for storage – has become a tense political issue.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to extend the lifespan of the country's 17 nuclear power plants by 12 years has been met with overwhelming public opposition.

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[Roma]

1. So they are advocating sticking with the burning of coal and oil

to produce power? Maybe they just want to shut down the factories and turn off the lights.

It's a quandary.

[DCKit]

2. Nice try. The people want alternatives.

Do you know anything about Germany and how much solar and wind they've installed over the past decade?

[Roma]

3. Actually I do

I have a business in Tempe AZ that has extensive business arrangements in Germany. We have 2 German nationals on our payroll.

If Germany were to shut down it's nukes tomorrow their economy would take a severe hit. They buy large amounts of excess power production from the French Nuclear industry also.

Alternatives are fine, they just aren't going to meet demand for decades.

And as an aside, I have a son and daughter who are both stationed at Ramstein. I visit them whenever I make a business trip there. You should visit, the country is doing very well.

Do you know differently?

[jpak]

4. They are not "shutting them down tomorrow"

They were to be phased out as they came to the end of their 40 year operational life.

Merkle extended their operations.

This is what the fuss is about,

FYI

[Iterate]

5. Germany is a net exporter of electricity

http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?t=0&v=82&l=en

charts from cia factbook

In fact, if there is a "problem", it's now how to best integrate the large amounts generated from the North Sea into the grid, especially on windy weekends.

[Confusious]

7. They also have 10 of the worst coal plants

out of thirty, according to the WWF.

So they will shut down non co2 nuclear in lew of dirty coal.

They also have some of the highest prices for electricity in Europe.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[kristopher]

6. I'm eager to see how this plays out in the next election.

K&R