Germany has become the first big industrialised power to agree on an end to nuclear power following the disaster in Japan, with a phaseout due to be completed by 2022.
Germany has become the first big industrialised power to agree on an end to nuclear power following the disaster in Japan, with a phaseout due to be completed by 2022. The Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen, announced the decision yesterday by the centre-right coalition, which was prompted by the crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant, calling it "irreversible". 
Fukushima fallout: German Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen,
German Economy Minister Philipp Roesler and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel address a press conference at the chancellery in Berlin. pic/AFP
"After long consultations, there is now an agreement by the coalition to end nuclear energy," he said after seven hours of negotiations at the offices of the Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany has 17 nuclear reactors on its soil, eight of which are currently off the electricity grid.
Seven of those offline are the country's oldest nuclear reactors, which the government shut down pending a safety inquiry after the emergency at Fukushima that began in March. It also means that the country will have to find the 22 per cent of its electricity needs covered by nuclear reactors from another source. But, Roettgen insisted there was no danger of blackouts. "We assure that electricity will be ensured at all times and for all users," he pledged, but did not provide details.
17 Number of nuclear reactors that Germany has
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