Germany to keep two nuclear reactors in reserve until April 2023

BERLIN, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Germany will keep two of its three remaining nuclear plants available for power production as part of a reserve scheme recommended by power transmission grid operators (TSOs) that stress-tested electricity supply, the government said on Monday.

Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2, of 1,400 megawatts (MW) capacity each and operated by E.ON and EnBW respectively, are due to close alongside the third, Emsland, operated by RWE, by Dec. 31, 2022.

Now though, the southern plants can be called upon until April 2023 to help with possible energy shortages this winter, the government said

Economy minister Robert Habeck said the risks of nuclear technology mandated holding on to the exit plan but restrictions in Russian gas deliveries justified the reserve measure. (Reporting by Vera Eckert and Sarah Marsh)