Germany to shut nuclear plant as planned-paper

BERLIN, May 22 (Reuters) - German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel will reject an application by EnBW (EBKG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) to extend the life of its Neckarwestheim 1 nuclear reactor, a newspaper reported on Thursday. Die Welt cited government sources as saying officials at the ministry believed safety standards at the plant in southern Germany were not good enough for it to stay open beyond its planned closure date of 2009.

Gabriel, a Social Democrat in the left-right ruling coalition in Berlin, is in the process of phasing out all nuclear plants by 2021 and Die Welt said a final decision would come "soon", probably later this month.

No one at the ministry was immediately available to comment. (Writing by Madeline Chambers)