Germany move to shut N-plants may affect Jaitapur plan

NEW DELHI: Just ahead of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to India where she will hold delegation- level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday , Berlin decided to shut all its nuclear power reactors by 2022.

The decision is expected to have wideranging ramifications in India as those opposed to nuclear power , including the movement at Jaitapur, will claim vindication in what is being described as a drastic reversal of policy by Germany.

Sources said though that Germany has assured India that it would continue to be a reliable high-technology supplier in the field of nuclear safety ahead of Merkel's visit. German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle, who met his counterpart S M Krishna in Delhi on Monday ahead of Merkel visit, said he knew India was watching the European nation closely.

"They are noticing that we in Germany are rethinking our energy policy," Westerwelle said. "Maybe not everything is understood, but the interest in renewable energy is great,'' he said. More than 22% of Germany's energy supplies come through nuclear power. After the nuclear accident in Japan though, Merkel ordered a review of all German nuclear reactors. Germany on Monday decided not to refurbish any of its nuclear reactors. These reactors are expected to exhaust themselves by 2022.

Announcing that India was discussing civil nuclear cooperation with Germany, Singh had said in December that India valued Germany's support in Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) "for the opening of international commerce for India in the field of civil nuclear energy'' . Merkel, too, had emphasized on Germany's preparedness to deepen its strategic partnership with India which, she said, could also involve working together on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.