Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder is calling for Germany to move away from its nuclear phase-out policy and is pushing for the construction of modern mini nuclear power plants in the Free State. "It is time for a new era of nuclear energy," Söder told Bild am Sonntag. He advocated for the use of innovative small modular reactors and nuclear fusion, directly positioning himself against the stance of Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), who recently described the nuclear phase-out as "irreversible."
"Nuclear energy 2.0 does not mean going back to old technology, but a new chapter without the former dangers," said Söder. He acknowledged that a return to the old power plants was now "too late," but argued that Germany still needs "base-load capable and CO2-free nuclear power." Bavaria, he said, is "ready for a pilot project."
A central element of Söder's strategy is so-called transmutation, a process in which nuclear waste is reused as fuel. "It makes more sense to use old nuclear waste than to let it radiate in the ground for millions of years," said the CSU leader. He called on the federal government to "change the transmutation law to make these stockpiles usable." In the longer term, he suggested this approach could also resolve the question of permanent nuclear waste storage.
Alongside small modular reactors, Bavaria is making a major push into nuclear fusion. The state is making available up to 400 million euros for the demonstration reactor known as "Alpha." In cooperation with industry and research institutes, Söder wants to unlock "clean energy in almost unlimited quantities."
With geopolitical tensions rising, Söder urged Germany to prioritise energy independence. "The international conflict in the Middle East shows: we must once again rely on technology rather than ideology. We cannot complain about prices while at the same time buying energy only abroad," he said. The growing "hunger for electricity" driven by artificial intelligence and electric mobility makes a stable base-load supply through modern nuclear power and gas plants unavoidable, he added.
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