German official: Nuclear would do little to solve gas issue

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s vice chancellor has defended the government’s commitment to ending the use of nuclear power at the end of the year. He argued Tuesday that keeping the few remaining reactors running would be complex and would do little to address the problems caused by a possible natural gas shortfall. Germany’s main opposition party has called repeatedly for the country’s last three nuclear reactors to be kept online after the end of December amid fears that Russia may halt natural gas supplies entirely. But government officials argue that gas isn’t so much a factor in generating electricity as in fueling industrial processes and providing heating.