German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday that Germany should stop using gas to generate electricity to avoid augmenting the energy crisis.

Lindner said as quoted by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that "we must work to ensure that the gas crisis does not lead to a crisis in electricity generation”. 

“Therefore, electricity should no longer be produced using gas,” he added.

“[Economy Minister] Robert Habeck has the power to prohibit it. We must maintain other capabilities instead. A lot of things speak in favor of not shutting down safe and sustainable nuclear power plants but using them if necessary until 2024", he stressed.

In Germany, three nuclear power plants are currently operational and are scheduled to close on December 31. 

Germany heated up the debate over the possibility of expanding the use of nuclear power plants against the backdrop of the ongoing gas crisis. 

The authorities are currently conducting a technical analysis of the situation before making a final decision. 

At least one of the NPPs will remain operational as per German media.

It is worth noting that the European Union has adopted a strategy to reduce its reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2030. In response to Russia's military operation in Ukraine, Baden-Württemberg Minister of Agriculture and Consumer Protection Peter Hauk has endorsed a total German prohibition on importing gas and oil from Russia, which contradicts Scholz's statements of energy supplies from Russia being exempt from the sanctions since there are no other ways to ensure energy security in Europe for the time being.

Read more: Germany in a quagmire over Russian energy