Germany must consider SMRs for future energy system, econ min tells security conference

Nuclear energy could play a role in Germany’s future energy security, economy minister Katherina Reiche said during a debate at the Munich Security Conference. Reiche said that “technological diversification” was key to future energy security, which in her view includes natural gas and small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) alongside renewable energy sources, energy policy newsletter Tagesspiegel Background reported.

SMRs could contribute to a “resilient, decentralised and low-CO2 energy system,” Reiche said, adding that “this is something that our society needs to learn.” The conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) minister said the debate about nuclear power’s future “has changed because the technology has changed,” and called for greater public awareness of new developments.

Many experts have warned that novel nuclear fission power plant designs do not resolve the technology’s fundamental challenge of hazardous nuclear waste, and that their construction at an industrial scale remains unlikely in the coming years. Germany's former nuclear power plant operators have also been cautious about usefulness of SMRs for the energy transition. 

SMRs are nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 MW, about one-third of a traditional nuclear power reactor, that use conventional nuclear technology to split atoms (fission). Many of the theoretical benefits are linked to their small and modular design. They could be sited on locations not suitable for larger nuclear power plants, and be constructed with prefabricated units, potentially making them more affordable.

Rafael Grossi, head of nuclear energy agency IAEA, cautioned at the debate that SMR projects so far have not been implemented successfully under market conditions, and that their commercial application remains uncertain. Apart from China and Russia, no country has launched SMRs, Grossi said, adding that Europe should focus on supporting conventional nuclear power plants.

Reiche ruled out a return to conventional nuclear power plants in Germany, but said the country should “at least understand” the direction of nuclear technology development to make informed decisions on possible investments at home or abroad. Her ministry has set up a task force to analyse projects in other countries and provide the government with additional insight to chart a future course.

After phasing out conventional nuclear power completely in 2023, Germany has already set its sights on making progress in nuclear fusion technology, which many experts say could make a significant contribution to energy security in the long term but still comes with considerable uncertainties regarding its technological viability. Reiches government has already committed more than 2 billion euros to support its ambition to build the first nuclear fusion reactor in the country. In contrast to conventional nuclear energy, nuclear fusion aims to harness the vast amounts of energy being released when light atoms fuse, the process that powers the Sun.

Reiche pointed to rising electricity demand from new data centres, arguing that Germany would need to identify reliable energy sources. “If this shouldn’t be gas or even coal, we need to find something else.”

EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen said renewables must remain the priority in future energy system planning, although nuclear power could play a role too if better integrated with renewable sources. “Renewables are at the core of the strategy that we need,” Jorgensen said, pointing out that 90 gigawatts of new capacity were added in 2025 alone. The main challenge, Jorgensen added, is the lack of integration of Europe’s electricity systems.