the end of nuclear power and of an era in Baden-Württemberg

It was a moment hoped for since 2011 by Angela Merkel. After the Fukushima disaster, the German Chancellor said: “We want the energy of the future to be safer“. His wish was recorded twelve years later, on Saturday April 14, with the closure of the last three German nuclear power plants. In Neckarwestheim, a village north of Stuttgart (Baden-Württemberg), the inhabitants oscillate between regrets and satisfaction, after the closure of their plant.

From his balcony, Uwe Mundt looks down directly on the nuclear power plant, from which a cloud of steam escaped from the cooling tower a few days ago. For 25 years, the retiree took care of guided tours, spending his days explaining the virtues of nuclear power.“There would be no energy crisis if we had left the plants in operation, declares, bitterly, Uwe Mundt. I spent my life in the plant, there were never any problems. What are we going to do for electricity, with wind or solar? As far as I know, the sun doesn’t shine at night and the wind blows when it wants.”

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The village and its 4,200 inhabitants have benefited for decades from the taxes paid by the plant, or between five and ten euros a year. Revenues that made it possible to build a school, a nursery, a concert hall, a golf course and even a castle. From now on, Neckarwestheim will have to learn to live without this providential windfall. “We had low taxes and land was cheap.says the mayor of the village, Jochen Winkler.

“We lived well. And we could spend lavishly.”

Jochen Winkler

at franceinfo

The next ten years are going to be more difficultadvances the aedile. We will have to make choices, save money and it will be a huge challenge. We are becoming a normal municipality again, which must be careful with its money”.

But in this municipality of Baden-Württemberg, there are not only regrets. Petra, 58, was even looking forward to the closure of the nuclear power plant. This German teacher thinks “Infinitely relieved that we are finally shutting down the plant. We were very worried because we have two children”. The 50-year-old wishes to recall that “Since Chernobyl, we know that it is an energy that involves a lot of dangers and is not turned towards the future. We should have started much earlier to think about alternatives. Without the clouds, we will be able to start seeing the stars again” .

Once dismantled, the plant could make way for an activity zone. But not for several years.