US embassy cable - 03FRANKFURT9685

UNCLAS FRANKFURT 009685 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE FOR R. PRICE and DOE/REE - D. GARMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG, ECON, SENV, PGOV, GM 
SUBJECT: BADEN-WUERTTEMBERG BLOCKS WINDMILLS, PROPOSES 
EXTENDING NUCLEAR ENERGY 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  The state of Baden-Wuerttemberg (B-W) has 
blocked a windmill park near Freiburg and proposed 
extending the life of nuclear reactors, fueling a political 
battle with broader implications.  The CDU-FDP (Christian 
Democrat / Free Democrat) B-W government favors reopening 
debate on the phase-out of nuclear energy and even hints at 
building a new reactor.  Economics Minister Walter Doering 
(FDP) argues that since nuclear power provides 60 percent 
of the state's needs, B-W cannot compensate with 
alternative energy sources.  Opposition Social Democrats 
(SPD) and Greens accuse CDU/FDP of favoring nuclear over 
alternative energy.  Neither side shows any sign of backing 
down.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  In recent months, the B-W state government has fought 
the construction of a windmill park near Freiburg. 
Minister-President Erwin Teufel (CDU) intervened to block 
the project after the city and administrative district had 
already issued building permits.  Teufel and other CDU/FDP 
politicians argue that the windmills would be an expensive 
eyesore in a picturesque region.  The city of Freiburg 
under Lord Mayor Dieter Salomon (Greens) is suing to 
continue the project. 
 
3.  The conservative leadership of B-W opposes the 2001 
consensus on phasing out nuclear power.  In October, the 
Teufel administration announced that B-W and Bavaria will 
sue the federal government over the costly phase-out and 
raise the issue in the Bundesrat.  Leading CDU politicians, 
including caucus chief Guenther Oettinger (Teufel's heir 
apparent), have floated the idea of constructing a new 
nuclear power plant. 
 
4.  Pol-Econ rep attended a special B-W parliament debate 
on energy issues led by the opposition SPD and Greens. 
Winfried Kretschmann (B-W Greens caucus head) and Wolfgang 
Drexler (SPD caucus leader) attacked M-P Teufel for 
undermining alternative energy, calling it the only growing 
energy sector in Germany and one especially important for 
small and medium-sized companies.  The SPD and Greens argue 
that the windmill debacle will deter the private investment 
which B-W badly needs to renew and expand energy 
production. 
 
5.  Echoing points made by many in the German power 
industry, Economics Minister Doering said Germany must stop 
the "proliferation" of "over-subsidized" windmill parks and 
criticized the Greens for politicizing nuclear power.  With 
60 percent reliance on nuclear energy (the highest among 
German states), Baden-Wuerttemberg must, at a minimum, 
extend the lifetime of existing reactors (Doering denied 
there are concrete plans to build a new reactor).  "We need 
an exit from the exit" is Doering's plea for a new strategy 
on nuclear power which at a minimum would extend the life 
of current nuclear plants.  The B-W Minister for 
Environment and Transportation, Ulrich Mueller (CDU), 
claims there are no environmentally responsible 
alternatives to nuclear power:  with only seven percent of 
its supply from alternative energy (perhaps 15 percent in 
ten years), B-W cannot phase out nuclear power without 
using much more oil, coal or natural gas.  According to 
Mueller, the national government has dodged the question of 
"what comes after" nuclear power.  Mueller predicted 
replacing nuclear power through fossil energy sources would 
increase CO2 emissions in B-W by fifty percent. 
 
6. COMMENT:  The battle over nuclear and alternative 
energies in B-W shows no sign of abating.  B-W is the most 
dependent on nuclear power among German states (although it 
imports and exports electricity like any other part of 
Western Europe).  CDU and FDP reps in the southwest now 
openly oppose the phase-out as unfeasible and bad for 
climate change, while criticizing alternative energy as 
uneconomical and unsightly.  For their part, opposition 
Greens and SPD would like to tar the CDU/FDP government as 
pro-nuclear and anti-environment.  Neither side has the 
lead in this fight, but it is already evident that energy 
issues will play a role in European/communal elections in 
B-W in June 2004.  END COMMENT. 
 
BODDE