Germany is closing down a third nuclear power station this week as part of the government's decision to shut all such plants by the year 2020, the Environment Ministry said Tuesday in a statement. The 36-year-old Obrigheim nuclear station in western Germany will cease operation on Wednesday, said the statement. This will leave Germany with 17 functioning nuclear power plants supplying about 30 per cent of the country's power. These stations are supposed to be closed in the coming 15 years, DPA said. So far two other nuclear plants have been shut down under a deal made in 2000 between Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's left-leaning government - which includes the anti-nuclear Greens - and energy companies. The German government is investing heavily in wind and solar energy as well as energy conservation by requiring better insulation of new buildings and subsidies for improving insulation of older houses. Many opposition conservatives oppose the closure of all nuclear stations and threaten to reverse the nuclear power ban if they are elected in national German elections due in autumn 2006.
