A group of investors is reportedly considering a plan to bring Germany’s nine nuclear reactors back online.
According to a Bild report on Friday, American companies are evaluating the practicality and cost of reactivating Germany’s retired nuclear power facilities. Germany, the largest economy in the EU, has been grappling with increasing energy costs and a drawn-out economic slump.
Following a decision by parliament to eliminate nuclear energy after the Fukushima disaster, Germany shut down its final three reactors in April 2023. However, as the country’s industrial output declines, there are increasing calls to reverse this policy.
This week, politicians and proponents of nuclear energy convened in Berlin to examine the possibility of reactivating the nation’s idled plants. Among the attendees was Mark Nelson, an American nuclear engineer and founder of Radiant Energy Group, who has been researching the speed and affordability of a nuclear restart.
Nelson stated to Bild, “There is no cheaper method to produce electricity anywhere in the world than with your completely paid-off nuclear facilities.” With the backing of an investor group, he is confident that nine German reactors could be restarted. He claims that assertions that nuclear power is excessively expensive are predicated on erroneous assumptions or are politically driven.
Nelson also contended that renewable energy sources are inadequate on their own. Renewables only accounted for 47% of Germany’s electricity consumption in the first quarter of 2025.
Prior to the conflict in Ukraine, Germany relied significantly on inexpensive Russian gas to power its industries. After shutting down its last nuclear power plants in 2023, it increased electricity imports. As the EU works to eliminate its reliance on Russian energy, Berlin now intends to invest €20 billion ($23 billion) in new gas-fired power plants to promote the transition away from coal and preserve supply stability.
Moscow has consistently stated that it is a dependable supplier and is willing to resume gas exports to Europe. However, Chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly against restarting purchases of Russian gas.
Germany’s economic situation, now in its third consecutive year of recession, has been negatively impacted by its energy crisis. According to Creditreform, almost 200,000 businesses closed in 2024, the highest number since 2011. Company bankruptcies in April 2025 surpassed those seen during the 2008 financial crisis.
Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), informed Bild that he anticipates “a significant nuclear resurgence.”
He stated that Germany will require “both storable renewables and nuclear energy” from an economic standpoint.
Merz, a longtime critic of Germany’s nuclear phaseout, has apparently voiced support for investing in small modular reactors and nuclear fusion technologies.