Coal-fired power plants that are brought back from the reserve should be allowed to remain on the grid longer. The federal government agreed on this.
FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr told the German Press Agency on Wednesday: “It’s good that we now agree that the electricity capacities must be significantly expanded. The extension of the coal-fired power plants to March 31, 2024 gives the operators planning security when restarting of the assets that are in reserve.”
The coal-fired power plants would make an important contribution to easing the tension on the electricity market over the next two winters, Dürr said. “Everything that can produce electricity should now be connected to the grid, because prices have to come down.”
So far, according to an ordinance by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, coal-fired power plants that come back from the so-called grid reserve can participate in the electricity market for a limited period until April 30, 2023. So far, two coal-fired power plants have been taken out of reserve.
Dürr wants to continue extending the lifetime of AKW
Dürr again demanded that the way be cleared “urgently” for an extension of the service life of the three nuclear power plants still on the grid. “What applies to coal-fired power plants applies even more to climate-neutral nuclear power plants. The three nuclear reactors should also remain connected to the grid until 2024, because we will need every kilowatt hour over the next two winters. Stretching operation will by no means be sufficient. We need new fuel rods.”
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) said on Tuesday that as of today, his ministry assumes that the Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim nuclear power plants will continue to be connected to the grid in the first quarter of 2023. He had agreed with the operators of the nuclear power plants on the key points for implementing the planned deployment reserve by mid-April 2023 at the latest.
In addition to hard coal-fired power plants, lignite-fired power plants are also due to return to the electricity market from the beginning of October. These are lignite-fired power plant blocks that are currently on so-called security standby.
