Germany to shut down all nuclear reactors by 2022

Germany will shut down all it's nuclear reactors by 2022 in a dramatic reversal of their nuclear policy following the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

Officials immediately shut down seven of the country's oldest plants in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami. But Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen announced that they will shut all 17 power stations over the next 11 years, Daily Mail says.

In 2010 around 23% of German electricity output was produced in nuclear plants. The BDEW--the country's main energy lobby group--said Germany has gone from being a net exporter of electricity to an importer, with nuclear-generated power from France and the Czech Republic plugging the gap caused by the shut down of Germany's seven oldest reactors after March's nuclear accidents in Japan.

Lawmakers from Merkel's coalition parties said that the power-generation gap would ideally by filled by renewable energy sources and relatively climate-friendly gas-fired power plants, Wall Street Journal  reports.