Is It Possible to Restart at Least Some Reactors in Germany?

2 August 2026, 08:21

In connection with preparations to resume operation at several nuclear reactors in the US that had previously been permanently shut down, I have received a number of questions about whether it might be possible to restart at least some of Germany’s shut-down units. Let us examine this possibility in more detail.

In recent years, at least three nuclear reactors previously shut down for economic reasons have been preparing to restart in the United States. This was discussed in more detail in an earlier article. Belgium has reversed its decision to shut down its nuclear units and is seeking to restart them. A growing number of countries, including Czechia, are seeking to operate their existing nuclear assets safely for as long as possible.

This year, two boiling-water reactors at the Edwin Irby Hatch Nuclear Power Plant also received licences for 80 years of operation (source: Southern Nuclear).

Translation disclaimer

This article is a machine translation of the Czech original and has not yet been fully reviewed. In case of any doubt, please refer to the Czech version.

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