This major European power ditched nuclear energy - now it wants it back

Just two years after formally stepping away from nuclear power, Germany is weighing a return – though not in the way many might expect.

Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche raised the possibility of revisiting nuclear energy during an event hosted by the European Nuclear Alliance, arguing that the country must ensure stable and sufficient power supplies nationwide.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Reiche stressed that Berlin is not limiting its strategy to storage solutions and renewables alone. “We are not focusing solely on storage and renewable energy, but also on small modular reactors (SMRs),” she said, according to the German outlet Focus.

Germany’s initial outline would avoid reopening its former nuclear plants. Instead, it would consider building smaller, next-generation facilities that are cheaper and faster to install than traditional reactors. “We will not return to the old reactors,” the minister made clear.

“But we should be able to understand new concepts. We should take part in this debate. And then we can decide,” Reiche added. At the same time, she confirmed that the ministry has established a nuclear working group that “will travel abroad to conduct research” into this emerging model of atomic energy.

According to ministry sources cited by the same outlet, the team’s precise responsibilities have yet to be defined, and the broader plans “are still being finalized.”

Small modular reactors are increasingly being promoted as the next phase of nuclear technology. Pilot facilities already exist in China and Russia, while Canada is building several of its own. The United States, India, France and the United Kingdom are also studying the technology as part of their long-term energy strategies.

Globally, the SMR sector currently generates between $6 billion and $7 billion, a figure that could double over the next decade, according to the German report. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that around 80 “mini plants” are currently in development worldwide.

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