Vattenfall Europe chief resigns after nuclear row

    BERLIN, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The chief executive of Vattenfall Europe, an arm of Swedish energy giant Vattenfall, resigned Wednesday after recent incidents at the company's two nuclear power plants in northern Germany.

    The resignation of Vattenfall Europe chief Klaus Rauscher followed communication failures and clashes with German authorities after a fire at the Kruemmel nuclear power plant and a short-circuit at Brunsbuettel, another nuclear power plant also near Hamburg.

    Although no nuclear reactor was damaged and no radiation leaked, German officials have accused Vattenfall of being too secretive about the incidents.

    The incidents also led Vattenfall to dismiss the head of its German nuclear unit, Bruno Thomauske, earlier this week.

    "Klaus Rauscher explained that it cannot be denied that the event of the past few weeks have tarnished the image of Vattenfall Europe," the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

    "Errors have been made for which he, as head of Vattenfall Europe, must bear responsibility. The company must now regain the trust which has been lost, in particular with regard to its customers, shareholders, and staff, and it must do so quickly."

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday called Vattenfall's communication policy "totally unacceptable." "My pity for the industry is limited. After all, dramatic errors were committed," she said.

    The Vattenfall incidents have caused an outcry in Germany where the continuing use of nuclear energy remains a controversial issue.

    Due to environmental concerns, Germany's 17 nuclear power plants are due to be phased out by 2021 under an agreement ratified by Merkel's government. But industry leaders hoped to prolong the use of nuclear power plants to win time to meet the environmental goals.