Protestors block nuclear power plant entrance

Their protest coincided with the annual meeting of the company that runs the plant, electric utilities provider Energie Baden-Württemberg (EnBW).

The activists want the company to shut down the plant and have threatened more protests – one of which will commemorate the anniversary of the April, 26 1986 nuclear catastrophe in Chernobyl, Russia.

According to the activists, the Neckarwestheim I reactor near Obrigheim has been running at half-throttle for months in attempt to delay a set closing date. Meanwhile the more modern Neckarwestheim II reactor section of the facility is planned to run until 2022. There is a pending lawsuit over the company’s attempt to transfer power betweem the reactors.

Nuclear energy is deeply unpopular in Germany and the government has approved plans to get rid of its reactors by 2020. But high energy costs and greenhouse gas concerns have some politicians second-guessing the plans.