The German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck defended the government's commitment to phasing out nuclear power by the end of this year, arguing that keeping the few remaining reactors operational would be difficult and would do little to address problems caused by possible natural gas shortages, AP reported.

Germany's main opposition party has repeatedly called for the country's last three nuclear reactors to remain operational over fears that Russia could completely cut off natural gas supplies.

But government officials say natural gas is not so much a factor in electricity generation as it is in fueling industrial processes and providing heating.

Germany shut down three nuclear reactors in December and the remaining three are due to cease production later this year as part of a long-term plan to phase out conventional power plants in favor of renewable energy.

In the first quarter of this year, nuclear energy accounted for 6% of Germany's electricity generation and natural gas for 13%, significantly lower than a year earlier. Germany receives about 35% of its gas from Russia.

Robert Habeck said legal certifications for the remaining reactors would expire at the end of the year, after which they would have to be treated like new nuclear power plants, with safety concerns and a likely very little benefit in terms of gas savings.

Opposition politicians argue that Habeck's environmentalist Green Party, which has long strongly supported a nuclear phase-out, opposes keeping reactors running for ideological reasons.