FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr has reiterated his party's demand to leave all three German nuclear power plants still in operation online.

This is "certainly correct" so that "more volume comes onto the market," said Dürr on Tuesday in the ZDF "Morgenmagazin".

"More quantity means lower prices".

The costs, especially for electricity, are "explosive," Dürr said.

No company or private household can afford these high electricity prices.

Regarding the different opinions in the federal government, Dürr said he saw "a movement" in Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens).

This is an important first step.

Habeck had declared on Monday that two of the nuclear power plants should continue to be available for power supply until next spring, but only as an emergency reserve.

FDP leader Christian Lindner, on the other hand, called for the three remaining nuclear power plants to continue operating until at least 2024. Dürr joined ZDF in the demand for an extension of the service life.

The Union also pushed for it.

Merz: "Completely absurd"

"We are heading for an energy supply crisis," said CDU chairman Friedrich Merz on Tuesday on Deutschlandfunk.

In the current situation, even thinking about shutting down power generation capacities is “completely absurd”.

The crisis was triggered by the war in Ukraine and was exacerbated "by completely absurd decisions by the federal government".

If there is not enough electricity in winter, the country is also heading for a severe recession.

The responsibility for this no longer lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but with the federal government, said Merz.

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) sharply criticized the plan by Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens).

After a cabinet meeting on Tuesday in Munich, Söder asked the SPD and FDP not to agree to the Green politician's plans.

Habeck's "individual decision" should not be made the decision of the federal government, it must be corrected.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) must make the issue a top priority.

"The Federal Ministry of Economics is clearly overwhelmed at this point," said Söder.

Bavaria's head of department Hubert Aiwanger (free voters) accused Habeck of "refusal of reality".

The critical situation on the electricity market is "absolutely incomprehensible," said Veronika Grimm.

With a view to the price level, all available capacity would have to be mobilized.

“This includes coal-fired power plants, but also nuclear power plants.

The power plants should run and not just be on standby, as is currently planned - because only then will there be a lowering effect on the price of electricity.

With the current planning, only the costs are incurred, but the benefits are not realized”.

Grimm suggests that in the case of the three nuclear power plants that are still in operation, one should consider extending the lifespan by five years.

It should also be checked whether the nuclear power plants that have just been shut down should be reactivated.

"In this way it could be ensured