Siemens AG (SIE) Chief Executive Officer Peter Loescher said that lengthy approval procedures and public protests against electricity grid expansion may endanger Germany’s exit from nuclear power, Bild am Sonntag reported.

A fast grid expansion is necessary to meet the planned deadlines, the newspaper cited the executive as saying in a preview of an article for its next edition. Construction of new gas and coal power plants are also necessary to ensure power supply, Loescher also said according to the newspaper.

To contact the reporter on this story: Karin Matussek in Berlin at kmatussek@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@Bloomberg.net.