Ärger um neue Gaskraftwerke: Südländer werfen Reiche „fehlgeleitete Industriepolitik“ vor

South German officials are criticizing the CDU federal Economy Minister Katharina Reiche over new gas power plants, accusing her of misguided industrial policy. Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria's leaders, Markus Söder from the CSU and Cem Özdemir from the Greens, argue that new gas power plants should only be built in the south of Germany where they are most needed for supply security and grid stability.

The first round of auctions for long-term capacity results were found to be insufficient and require significant corrections from the federal government. Söder and Özdemir insist that the southern region, which includes Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, is the economic heart of Germany and must be reflected in the power plant strategy for a stable electricity supply.

The planned southern bonus failed in the initial auction round, with more than half of the new capacities going to the northern grid network instead of the south. Özdemir emphasizes that at least two-thirds of the new power plant capacities must be built in the south. The CSU leader warns that the planned shift from new gas power plants to the refurbishment of decommissioned and unused lignite mines in the north is flawed industrial policy.

The federal government should immediately provide more capacity for the south, as that is where the electricity is needed and consumed. The southern bonus should be significantly increased and limited to the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Additionally, the double-funding of old power plants should be excluded, and a minimum 20% efficiency gain should be achieved in modernizations.

The two German states also demand that Reiche refine the existing regional load management, as the actual need for power plants in southern Germany must be better reflected in their planning. Without new power plants, the region will face additional challenges in the future as existing plants in the network reserve can currently still secure stable operation but may not be operable for many more years due to their age.