BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The imminent nuclear phase-out is once again causing resentment in the traffic light coalition. FDP leader Christian Lindner expressed disappointment that his coalition partners want to stick to the complete dismantling of Germany's last three nuclear power plants. "It is regrettable that there is no majority in favor of at least keeping the German nuclear power plants in reserve," the finance minister said on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund's spring meeting in Washington. "I would rather we continue to have the reserve of three climate-neutral, existing nuclear power plants." Those ministers responsible for energy supply in the cabinet must now be aware of their responsibility, he said.

Earlier, FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr had called for not immediately dismantling the last three nuclear power plants and leaving them in reserve to be ready for a possible energy challenge. "Let's at least not start dismantling them immediately, but at least keep this reserve," he said on ARD's "Tagesthemen."

However, keeping the reactors in reserve, starting them up again later, would pose some problems: New operating licenses would be needed, new fuel rods would have to be ordered and the Atomic Energy Act would have to be amended. "By the Atomic Energy Act, the legislature has obliged the operators of the plants to immediately shut down and dismantle the three remaining nuclear power plants," Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. "Accordingly, it would be illegal to keep them in reserve." Delaying the dismantling would also cause significant costs for the operators.

On Saturday, Germany's three remaining nuclear power plants are scheduled to shut down

- Isar 2 in Bavaria, Emsland in Lower Saxony and Neckarwestheim 2 in

Baden-Württemberg - are to be finally taken off the grid. This was actually supposed to happen at the end of last year. However, because of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the energy crisis it triggered, last year, after a show of force by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), the coalition government under the "traffic light" coalition decided to keep the three reactors running through the winter.

Chancellor Scholz continues to back the planned shutdown. "The nuclear phase-out as of April 15, this Saturday, is a done deal. And the chancellor has repeatedly emphasized that," said deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann.

A spontaneous renewed extension of the operating life or even a return to nuclear energy is also not an issue for the operators."EnBW is not discussing nuclear phase-out, but is sticking to the master plan for dismantling," said the head of EnBW's nuclear power division, Jörg Michels.

The operator of the Emsland nuclear power plant in Lingen strikes similar tones. "The phase-out of nuclear power is a political decision. In accordance with legal regulations, we will take the Emsland nuclear power plant off the grid on April 15," a spokesman for Essen-based energy company RWE said Wednesday./svv/DP/jha