Germany’s government failed on Monday (10 October) to reach an agreement on a draft law that would have extended the life of two remaining nuclear power plants beyond their planned phaseout in December, reports said.

Germany’s economy ministry was quoted as saying in the reports that the cabinet was politically divided over the extension plans. Those plans would have placed two remaining power plants – Isar-2 and Neckarwestheim-2 – online for emergency use until at least April.

The only other commercial reactor in operation in Germany is Emsland, which is scheduled for closure in December.