Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ordered Germany’s three remaining commercial nuclear power plants to remain in operation until April “at the latest” as the energy crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hurts the economy.

There has been disagreement in the governing coalition over the lifespan of nuclear power plants. However, the debate over the future of Germany's nuclear power industry reopened after the Russian invasion of Ukraine caused energy prices to soar across Europe.

Vice-chancellor and economy minister Robert Habeck of the Green Party on Monday said he accepted the fact that Scholz had overridden others in the Cabinet.

The chancellor has asked the economy, environment and finance ministries to create the legal basis for the plants to remain open.