Swedish Energy Minister Ebba Busch said on Monday (December 16) that Germany should divide its electricity price bands and allow EU funds for nuclear power plants, adding fuel to a long-standing policy conflict with Berlin . [emphasis, links added]
“In meeting after meeting, Germany has blocked the possibility of funding new fossil fuel-free baseload power in the EU,” Bush (EPP) said ahead of a meeting of energy ministers in Brussels.
“It's one thing that the Germans don't want nuclear power for themselves; But preventing other countries from accessing these funds is another matter“, she explained, adding that opposition amounted to “hypocrisy.”
Busch's statement comes after her first attack on Germany last week, when she said she was She said Germany was “angry” over Berlin's phase-out of nuclear energy, which led to record energy prices in the country last week.
Her Monday morning criticism also extended to Germany has refused to comply with the European Union's call to divide its country into regions with different electricity prices.
Despite its larger size, Germany offers the same electricity prices across the country, while Swedes pay based on where they live.
EU regulator ACER has recommended that Berlin implement a similar split in 2022, which is currently under discussion.
“I find it difficult to see the commission intervening in this situation,” Bush admitted, “but […] We would like to see Germany introduce a price zone in northern Germany. This will significantly reduce the impact of Germany's high electricity prices on Sweden,” she said.
In return for establishing a separate price zone, Bush offered political support for a long-stalled interconnection cable between the two countries, a proposal she had previously vetoed in June.
“If Germany is willing to introduce a price zone in northern Germany, then we could potentially sit down and discuss the Hanseatic power bridge again,” Bush said.
Read more at Euractiv
