Bavarian Minister‑President Markus Söder (CSU) calls for a fundamental shift in Germany’s nuclear exit plan and is planning the construction of modern mini‑nuclear power plants in the Free State. He positions himself against Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s (CDU) recent description of the nuclear exit as “irreversible”. In an interview with “Bild am Sonntag”, Söder said, “It is time for a new era of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy 2.0 does not mean a return to old technology, but a new chapter without the prior dangers. This includes novel modular small reactors and nuclear fusion”.
Söder sharply criticized the energy‑policy decisions of the former traffic‑light coalition, stating that it was a grave mistake for the coalition to shut down nuclear power plants during the greatest energy crisis. While he admits that returning to the old behemoths is now “too late” he insists that Germany still needs “base‑load capable and CO₂‑free nuclear power”. The CSU leader announced, “Bavaria is ready for a pilot project”.
A central element of Söder’s strategy is transmutation, the reuse of nuclear waste as fuel. “It makes more sense to consume old nuclear waste than to let it radiate in the ground for millions of years” he said. He urged the federal government to modify the transmutation law so these inventories can be utilized, noting that this could eventually solve the final‑disposal problem.
In addition to small modular reactors (SMRs), Bavaria is heavily investing in nuclear fusion. The state is allocating up to €400 million for the Alpha demo reactor and aims to collaborate with industry and research institutes to unlock almost unlimited clean energy.
Amid geopolitical tensions, Söder called for independence: “The conflict in the Middle East shows that we must rely again on technology rather than ideology. We cannot complain about prices while only buying energy abroad”. He added that the growing “power appetite” driven by AI and electric mobility makes a stable base‑load supply from modern nuclear and gas plants indispensable.