As planned, seven more lignite-fired power plant units in Germany will be permanently decommissioned at the end of March. The decommissioning of all units had been planned earlier. In order to save natural gas in power generation during the energy crisis, the German government had taken five units out of the so-called supply reserve. Two further units were allowed to continue operating beyond the originally planned shutdown date. All were allowed to sell their electricity wholesale. At the end of the winter of 2023/24, it will finally be over.
Blocks E and F at the Niederaussem power plant and Block C at the Neurath power plant in the Rhineland mining district were taken out of the security reserve. All belong to the energy company RWE. In the Lusatian coalfield, units E and F at the Jänschwalde power plant, which belong to the energy company Leag, were recalled. In addition, two further units (D and E) at RWE's Neurath power plant were extended in operation.
For the reactivation of the plants from security standby, former employees also returned from retirement to their old jobs. Others postponed the start of their retirement.
