Nuclear power and energy supply

German nuclear research centers have made important contributions in the fields of research, development and training and in this way helped to catch up with the lead of other countries in nuclear research and technology and to launch nuclear power as a new source of energy in the Federal Republic of Germany. Some years ago it appeared as if these objectives had all been fulfilled, and the question arose as to the justification of the continued existence of these nuclear research centers; at least a shift of their activities to non-nuclear sectors was demanded. However, in reality only a starting point hab been reached from which to develop advanced reactor systems and tackle new problems connected with a highly complex energy problem whose ramifications did not become apparent until a few years ago. In the long term phase of the energy problem there will be a gradual complete substitution of fossil fuels by other sources of energy, the continuity of supply being ensured first by fast breeder reactors and later on by nuclear fusion. The nuclear research centers will have to solve these problems in an increasingly closer cooperation and a division of labor among themselves and with industry. In the long run, most of their activities will continue to be in nuclear fields. (orig.)