BERLIN (AP) — Germany's Economy and Energy Minister says the country will keep two of its remaining three nuclear power plants running until April to help prevent a potential energy shortage in the coming months.

Tuesday's announcement officially, albeit temporarily, reverses Germany’s long-held plan of shutting down its remaining nuclear plants by the end of the year.

Economy and Energy Minister Robert Habeck said the two reactors — Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim north of Stuttgart — would continue until mid-April.

Earlier this month, officials had said Germany would stick to its plan of shutting down remaining nuclear plants this year but keep the option of reactivating two of them in case of an energy shortage.

Like other European countries, Germany is scrambling to ensure the lights stay on and homes stay warm this winter despite the reduction in natural gas flows from Russia amid the war in Ukraine.