Militant opponents of shipments of nuclear waste to an intermediate depot in Gorleben in Lower Saxony are thought to be responsible. The last few years have seen a total of 250 attacks on rail lines, of which 200 have been in Lower Saxony. Continued disagreement over nuclear waste shipments Bonn. Merkel said in a newspaper interview that although it was up to the federal states to determine the best schedule for the shipments, it could not be drawn out indefinitely. Lower Saxony's Internal Affairs Minister Glogowski announced yesterday that shipments from the nuclear power plants in Neckarwestheim and Gundremmingen would be delayed until spring, as the state could not guarantee the necessary police protection for the shipments.
Cabinet wants to end electrical monopoly Bonn.
The federal cabinet has passed a bill to change the law governing the supply of electricity. The changes are intended to end the regional monopolies in electric power. Cities and counties will then no longer be able to grant the right of way for power lines to one supplier exclusively. The market for natural gas is to be similarly opened. Government plans will let households and businesses pick which supplier will deliver their power in the future.