The fear of fuel shortages during the Ukraine war could lead to the renaissance of an energy source that has already been declared dead: lignite.

According to information from the FAZ, the federal government, which is dominated by green energy issues, is planning to extend the so-called security stand-by for five remaining power plant blocks of the operators RWE and Leag with an output of 1.9 gigawatts.

Christian Geinitz

Business correspondent in Berlin

  • Follow I follow

It is true that lignite emits the most carbon dioxide, which is why its use should be ended as quickly as possible.

However, it is the only energy source in Germany that is sufficiently available that can be used as a base load, can be regulated and is available around the clock.

In view of the uncertainties about Russian deliveries, Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (both Greens) have been thinking for some time about taking coal-fired power plants back on line from the reserve and not sending current plants to the reserve for the time being.

So far, this has referred to a possible shift in the coal phase-out path to 2030 or 2038. What is new, however, is the idea of ​​leaving older lignite-fired power plants on standby for longer and preparing to start them up.

This reserve was set up in 2016 long before the decision to phase out coal.

It originally comprised eight blocks with a capacity of 2.7 gigawatts or 13 percent of the installed capacity.

Three of them have already completed the four-year standby period and can no longer be reactivated.

But the rest are ready.

However, their days are numbered.

Three are scheduled to close completely on October 1st, i.e. before winter, and the others a year later, also before Germany can free itself from Russian gas.

This decommissioning scenario is now to be changed, as confirmed by Brandenburg's Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD), in whose state the Leag power plant in Jänschwalde is located.

"I have worked with the Federal Ministry of Economics to ensure that the security stand-by of the two blocks in Jänschwalde, which expires this year and next, is extended so that you can fall back on it in the event of bottlenecks," Steinbach told the FAZ "Just like me The coalition committee understood that this wish was followed in principle.”

Safety readiness instead of shutdown

The minutes of the committee inevitably lead to negotiations between the Federal Ministry of Economics and the Leag.

"I trust that this will now be implemented." In fact, the resolutions of the SPD, Greens and FDP of March 23rd say: "We want to reduce gas consumption in electricity generation in the short term by keeping coal-fired power plants on standby for longer if possible keep."

Even outside of these cases, "the shutdown of coal-fired power plants can be suspended until further notice after review by the Federal Network Agency".

Steinbach specified that the possible extension is related to potential gas supply failures from Russia.

"I don't think we'll have any major problems with electricity, but with heat it could be regional or local," he said.

"The heat supply for the region, especially for the city of Cottbus, depends on Jänschwalde."

It is important to ensure the supply for the winter of 2022/2023, the power plants may then have to go online for the first time from the safety stand-by: "Once the blocks are finally shut down, they are very difficult to get going again." According to plans, one block's availability will end in October, the other a year later.

Lawsuit against mining

The readiness should now be extended by a year and a half to cover the next two "problem winters".

“It is important to obtain the staff and the additional coal required in good time,” says Steinbach.

"In this respect, negotiations between the Federal Ministry of Economics and the operators are required as to how an extension of the security stand-by is to be contractually structured."

However, there are still uncertainties.

In mid-March, the administrative court in Cottbus decided, following a lawsuit by Deutsche Umwelthilfe, that the open-cast mine belonging to Jänschwalde would soon no longer be allowed to continue operating.

Steinbach sees it calmly: "According to the information I have today, Leag is not dependent on the opencast mine in Jänschwalde." However, the works council had warned of the unclear supply situation during the war: "This is a verdict that the power supply in Germany is less secure and makes it more expensive."

Do corporations prefer easy money?

The RWE Group maintains two lignite units in Niederaussem and one in Neurath, which are actually supposed to fall out of the security reserve in October 2022 and October 2023.

Both companies confirm contacts with the government about a possible extension, but do not want to give details.

Habeck's house speaks of a "continuous exchange" with all actors.

“Of course, we also have to make sure that we use the existing instruments sensibly in the case of coal-fired power plants in order to ensure security of supply,” said a spokeswoman.

It is “specifically” about security.

This presupposes that the operation can be reactivated within ten days upon request by the transmission system operator.

However, it can also be heard from the industry that the operators are not very interested in this.

The activation was never necessary, there was a lack of experience, personnel, fuel in the plants - and the status quo is well paid: in 2016, the operators were promised 1.6 billion euros for the unused blocks, 230 million a year.