By Vera EckertBERLIN, Sep 5 – Germany will keep two of its three remaining nuclear power plants available for power production as part of a backup plan recommended by power transmission grid operators who have tested electricity supply in stressful situations. , the government said on Monday. Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2, each with a capacity of 1,400 megawatts (MW) and operated by E.ON and EnBW respectively, must close together with the third, Emsland, operated by RWE, before 31 December. December 2022. [POWER/DE]Now, however, the two southern plants can be used until April 2023 to alleviate possible energy shortages this winter, according to the Government. Economy Minister Robert Habeck said that the risks of nuclear technology forced maintain the exit plan, but that restrictions on Russian gas supplies justified the reserve measure. This would free up gas for manufacturers and home heating. The reasons Habeck cited for the potential power shortage were a combination of the scarce nuclear power capacity in France, which is connected to Germany within the European wholesale energy market, and the drought that has slowed hydroelectric production and the supply of cooling water to thermal power stations, as well as hampered coal barge deliveries to power plants. “We have a number of uncertain factors and the summer has significantly exacerbated them with the drought,” Hab said. eck, adding that a power crisis was considered highly unlikely as Germany has also revived some idled coal plants and will increase grid capacity shortly. “The nuclear stockpile is a targeted response,” he said. Habeck stressed that the two nuclear power plants will not be equipped with new fuel elements. By the winter of 2023/24, Germany will have additional gas import capabilities in the form of floating storage and regasification units that will help improve its overall situation, said the Government. The north of the country, where Emsland is located, will be able to exploit oil-fired power generation capacity in cases of shortage, he added.