A German About-Face? Leading Daily Cites Paks Nuclear Power Plant as Example

It is rare to see an article in the German press that draws objective and rational conclusions on the role of nuclear energy and the usefulness of the Paks project in Hungary. Yet, such an article has now appeared in Die Welt. The piece discusses the European renaissance of nuclear energy while citing the advantages of nuclear power generation in Hungary as an example, highlighting the importance of climate protection, energy security and independence. It is worth remembering: Germany completely shut down its nuclear power program and is now struggling with high electricity prices.

Hungary may need a third nuclear power plant, but it would not be built in Paks (Source: Paks II)

“Paks shows the friendly face of nuclear energy,” states Die Welt, one of Germany’s most influential newspapers, in its article on Europe’s perception of nuclear energy. The tone and content of the article align perfectly with the expanding body of analysis indicating that although German politics is still only at the cautious probing phase, a growing segment of public opinion in Germany is once again starting to view this technology—used and previously highly valued in the country for decades—in a positive light.

One of the most obvious reasons for this shift is that reality eventually confronts everyone, in this case, most notably in the form of monthly electricity bills. Whether it is an average German household or a factory, the high price of electricity repeatedly makes Germans question whether it was a good idea to shut down their nuclear power plants, which were fit to operate for decades more.

They Lied to Themselves and Harassed Us

In its European country-by-country analysis, Die Welt devotes heightened attention to Hungary. The article highlights a well-known fact in Hungary: the Paks nuclear power plant’s units supply nearly half of the electricity generated in Hungary, and nuclear energy is a key component of the region’s economy. It adds that the Paks II project, which will have two new nuclear power units, is already under construction, and notes that globally, nuclear energy is experiencing a renaissance, particularly visible in Europe.

According to experts, Europe has realized it lied to itself regarding the energy transition; moreover, investing in the nuclear sector increases governments’ room to maneuver, thereby strengthening energy sovereignty.

Looking back from a ten-years-on perspective, it is interesting to recall when the German press was harshly critical of Hungary's Paks II project. In 2015, international public hearings on the project were underway. Media reports on the two-day forum in Munich at the time unleashed every angle of attack against the investment, even demanding calculations on the potential effects of an Airbus A380 crashing into the plant. Of course, their main concern was that the cheaply produced electricity from Paks II could create a competitive disadvantage for the renewable energy Germany intended to sell, including to Hungary.

A Way Out of Politically Driven Rejection

Germany, with its politically motivated rejection of nuclear energy, is increasingly becoming an outlier, or at least among a shrinking group. However, it is now entering a period of self-examination, as the article suggests,

Europe’s other countries are moving past Germany in this regard: elsewhere, nations are reopening to the use of nuclear energy, searching for suitable sites for nuclear power plants, negotiating with potential partners, and the faster ones are already building.”

Germany's perception of the Hungarian project is also interesting because one of its most important suppliers is Siemens, which had previously announced it was withdrawing from the nuclear industry, yet a few years later, its Budapest branch will be supplying the control systems for the Paks expansion. Clearly, the German corporate giant does not want to miss out on the increasingly certain European future of the nuclear industry.

The Idea of Energy Sovereignty Also Reaches the West

The article recalls the energy challenges of recent years, including supply disruptions, sanctions, the desperate search for alternative suppliers, and the drastic increases in gas, oil and electricity prices. It concludes that all these factors have contributed to a shift in European perspectives: “An industrial economy cannot depend on the weather, and a complete transition to renewables is not possible in the short term.”

“Countries that invest heavily in nuclear energy are countries that can act independently,” the article quotes experts as saying.