{
  "id": 19409198,
  "title": "Energiewende: Neue Kraftwerksausschreibung: Reiche präzisiert Regeln für Kohlekraftwerke",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/energiewende-neue-kraftwerksausschreibung-reiche-prazisiert-regeln",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-10T22:26:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/energiewende-neue-kraftwerksausschreibung-reiche-praezisiert-regeln-fuer-kohlekraftwerke/100268900.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "The German Federal Ministry of Economics has announced the second round of a competition for new state-supported power plants, with a focus on clarifying the rules for transitioning from coal to natural gas. The ministry has decided to issue a regulation to address this transition. According to the regulation, the conversion from coal to natural gas will only be considered a qualifying new build if the existing coal power plant is scheduled for retirement by July 22, 2026, or must be shut down by January 1, 2030, as per the Coal Exit Law. This is aimed at preventing coal power plants from being shut down prematurely due to funding incentives. The regulation is intended to provide clearer guidelines on which expenses can be counted towards the minimum investment requirements of 431,000 euros per megawatt of capacity. Only investments in new power plants or the expansion of existing facilities will be considered, not just modernizations. The regulation is expected to take effect sooner than previously planned. The clarification comes in response to criticism of the first round of the competition, which primarily affected the German utility RWE and the electricity transmission system operator LEAG. The eastern German lignite mining company LEAG plans to build new gas facilities at existing coal power plant sites to save costs by utilizing existing infrastructure. The Ministry of Economics defended these projects as cost-effective. The new regulation does not affect any previously awarded subsidies. All successful projects had already met the specified conditions.",
  "summary": "Das Bundeswirtschaftsministerium verschärft die Regeln für staatlich geförderte neue Gaskraftwerke. Damit soll verhindert werden, dass Kohlekraftwerke nur wegen der Förderung vorzeitig vom Netz gehen.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}