According to Economy Minister Dirk Panter, the planned amendment to the law on the construction of new gas-fired power plants will ensure expansion in the northeast. “This agreement is an important step toward greater security of supply in Germany,” the SPD politician said in a statement. The amendment is intended to ensure that sufficient capacity is also built in the northern and eastern German grid regions.
“Southern Bonus” Will Take Effect Later
As part of the legislative plans to secure the electricity supply, the federal government has agreed to adjust the so-called “Southern Bonus.” Improvements are planned to benefit the northern and eastern German states. Previously, up to two-thirds of the power plant capacity put out to tender was to go primarily to the “grid-related south.” This includes the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland. Under the new proposal, the “southern bonus” will only take effect once one-third of the awarded contracts have gone to the north and east.
