The fundamental Federal law regulating nuclear power in Germany is the Act on the Peaceful Utilization of Atomic Energy and the Protection against its Hazards (Atomic Energy Act) from 1959. The original aim of the Atomic Energy Act was to promote the use of nuclear energy in Germany.

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In 2010 the Federal Government revised the Atomic Energy Act, in the framework of a national energy policy for the time until 2050. In this context, the lifetimes of German reactors were prolonged for an average of about 12 full power years. But still, nuclear power was regarded as a phase out technology. It was still to be used only for a limited period of time, to support the electricity system during the transition to renewable energy sources.

In the 13th amendment of the Atomic Energy Act of August 2011, the regulator withdrew the longer lifetimes of German nuclear power plants granted in 2010, withdrawing immediately the right to produce electricity of 8 nuclear power plants, and set dates for the termination of operating licenses for the remaining 9 plants up to the year 2022.

TÜV NORD Nuclear engineering and radiation protection

'Sapere aude'