Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck wants to take the coal-fired power plants that were reactivated due to the energy crisis off the grid next year. This will happen as soon as further planned liquid gas terminals in Germany are completed in 2024, said the Green politician on Wednesday evening on the ARD program “Maischberger”. “Then the infrastructure is there and we don’t need any additional coal-fired power plants. That’s the plan,” said Habeck.
There are currently three floating landing stations for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in operation – in Wilhelmshaven in Lower Saxony, in Lubmin in Western Pomerania and in Brunsbüttel in Schleswig-Holstein. Three more LNG terminals in Wilhelmshaven, Stade and Mukran on Rügen are to follow. But there is strong resistance there from environmentalists and the population.
Natural gas storage is more than 95 percent full
Habeck is looking forward to the coming winter with confidence in terms of energy supply: “The gas storage facilities are very full. If nothing happens, we will get through the winter well.” Nevertheless, Germany “still has to be careful”. That’s why the federal government has “set up safety nets” with coal-fired power plants, among other things. Habeck would also like to extend the gas and electricity price brake, as he explained.
Against the background of the energy crisis triggered by the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, coal-fired power plants had returned to the grid from reserve. At the beginning of October, the Federal Cabinet approved a temporary extension of the so-called supply reserve – these are climate-damaging lignite-fired power plants – until the end of March as a precaution for the winter.
The natural gas storage facilities in Germany are more than 95 percent full. Before last winter, there were great concerns about a gas shortage because Russia had stopped gas deliveries – but there was no shortage.
