Employees of the energy company Leag in Lusatia have not been too happy with Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche (CDU) so far. The works council fears that the construction of new gas-fired power plants will put them at a disadvantage compared to southern Germany. "Fair play looks different," they said at a protest in Cottbus.
Reiche has announced that she wants to speed up the construction of new gas-fired power plants. In the afternoon, she will visit the energy company Leag for the first time, which operates lignite-fired power plants but has embarked on a new course in view of the coal phase-out agreed by 2038. Her statements on a "southern bonus" for planned new gas-fired power plants sparked concerns in Lusatia.
The management has a clear message, as there was already talk of time pressure on the planned construction of gas-fired power plants around six months ago. Leag CEO Adi Roesch told the German Press Agency shortly before the minister's visit: "Without secure energy, nothing will work in the future. By 2030, 3000 megawatts from our power plant portfolio alone will be taken off the grid."
The exit plan involves gradually decommissioning power plant units and producing less electricity from lignite. Gas-fired power plants are to step in when the fluctuating demand for electricity cannot be covered by renewable energies - in "dark doldrums", when there is no sunshine and no wind.
Leag plans new projects
"We urgently need a replacement for this secured capacity. That is why we have been working flat out for months on new construction projects for our power plant sites," says Roesch. So-called H2-ready power plants with an installed capacity of around 2,000 megawatts are currently being planned at the Schwarze Pumpe (Brandenburg), Lippendorf (Saxony) and Leipheim (Bavaria) sites. These gas-fired power plants are to be designed for later operation with hydrogen.
Expectations of politicians: clear up the investment backlog
"Politicians are now called upon to clear up the investment backlog for future power plants with clear regulation and fair tendering conditions," demanded Roesch. He estimates that it takes between four and six years to build a gas-fired power plant. According to the company in Cottbus in February, the total investment volume involved is around three billion euros.
"Southern bonus" criticized
Reiche had announced that she wanted to quickly launch state funding for the construction of new gas-fired power plants - she had also said that the focus should be on southern Germany. "We are planning a southern bonus, which will be built with two thirds of the total tendered capacity in the technical south," the CDU politician had said, causing irritation in Lusatia.
At the Schwarze Pumpe industrial site, the minister must initially expect to see disappointed faces when she is greeted by trainees and the works council in the afternoon. Brandenburg's Minister President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) also wants to take part in the tour of the lignite-fired power plant in Spremberg. It is to remain on the grid until the final phase-out of coal-fired power generation at the end of 2038.
Delay in new power plants
The failed traffic light government actually wanted to introduce state funding for the construction of new gas-fired power plants. Reiche announced that the first tendering process would begin at the end of the year. The state subsidy is likely to cost billions. The EU Commission must give its approval. Reiche was cautious about possible legal requirements for the subsequent conversion of gas-fired power plants to hydrogen. The coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU and SPD talks about the construction of up to 20 gigawatts (GW) of gas-fired power plant capacity by 2030.
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