Germany, which imports as much as 20% of its gas from Russia, is considering whether to extend the lifespan of its three remaining commercial nuclear power plants as a way to secure the country’s energy supply in the face of uncertainty over Russian supplies, the country’s economy minister said.

Asked by German broadcaster ARD whether he could imagine letting nuclear plants run longer than planned under Germany’s phaseout plan, Robert Habeck said: “It is part of my ministry’s tasks to answer this question. I would not reject it on ideological grounds – but the preliminary examination has shown that it does not help us.”

Isar-2, Emsland and Neckarwestheim-2 are the only remaining nuclear plants producing power in Germany. The country decided a decade ago to phase out nuclear power in the wake of Japan's Fukushima disaster.