German nuclear energy giant sues government

GERMAN energy giant RWE filed a legal challenge yesterday to the government’s order to shut down temporarily the country’s seven oldest nuclear reactors in light of the Fukushima crisis in Japan.

“German nuclear power stations fulfil current safety norms. There is no legal basis for shutting them down. This step is to protect the interests of our shareholders,” RWE said in a statement.

It stressed however it supported the government’s decision last month to conduct safety checks on the country’s 17 reactors in light of what Angela Merkel termed a “turning point” for the world in Japan.