Awwal 16, 1432 H/April 20, 2011, SPA -- A panel appointed by Chancellor Angela Merkel to draft a timetable for Germany to dump nuclear power said on Wednesday they may avoid recommending a precise sunset date, according to dpa. Germans have been so rattled by the Fukushima nuclear fires and leaks in Japan that a big majority want Germany's 17 nuclear power plants closed as soon as possible, surveys show. "You can be sure we'll have something to say about that topic," said one of the two panel co-chairmen, Klaus Toepfer, a former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, but declined to say if any firm date would emerge in the report. Anti-nuclear activists say Germany could have enough wind turbines and gas plants in place by 2015-2017 to eliminate its nuclear sites, which generate one quarter of Germany's electricity. The power industry says this would not be feasible before 2020. Existing legislation requires Germany to be non-nuclear by about 2036, but that is not soon enough for most Germans. The panel of 17 bishops, academics and community leaders has been asked to provide an bipartisan "ethical" report to the government by the end of next month on how urgently to change from nuclear power to renewable-energy alternatives. Toepfer said the panel would produce a "package" recommendation that all its members supported. He spoke after three days of talks at Liebenberg, 60 kilometres north of Berlin. He said the panel would also hold a televised town-hall-style hearing on April 28 in which experts would testify about the transition.
