What sparked the dispute over Lützerath?
The hamlet is one of six villages in the area of the RWE Garzweiler II opencast mine approved by the state government in 2014. With the coal compromise of 2019, politicians bowed to the demands for the preservation of the Hambach Forest, but stuck to the layout of Garzweiler II, so that the fate of the villages seemed sealed.
Shortly afterwards, RWE began clearing and demolition work in Lützerath, and climate activists started their protests.
In October 2022, RWE agreed with the state government and the federal government to stop generating electricity from lignite in 2030 instead of 2038.
This means that most of the villages can remain standing, only Lützerath, which is located directly on the edge of the current mining area, is to give way to open-cast mining.
Why is it not possible without Lützerath?
Helmut Buender
Business correspondent in Düsseldorf.
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Christian Geinitz
Business correspondent in Berlin
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According to the federal and state governments, about half of the previously approved mining volume will remain in the ground as a result of the early phase-out.
According to the compromise negotiated with RWE, the coal under the Lützerath area is needed in order to be able to start up the lignite-fired power plants during the energy crisis.
For the time being, even more lignite is to be converted into electricity: two large power plant units, which were actually supposed to be shut down by the end of 2022, are to remain connected to the grid until the end of March next year.
"The use of the former Lützerath settlement for mining this winter is necessary in order to ensure a secure supply of the power plants in the midst of the energy crisis and to save gas in the electricity supply as well as to extract sufficient overburden and loess for high-quality recultivation",
How reliable are the requirement calculations?
RWE and the North Rhine-Westphalian Economics Minister Mona Neubaur (Greens) rely on several "independent" reports.
Neubaur classified the results as "unambiguous".
It is also about the later recultivation of the opencast mine and the protection of the embankments.
Opponents of lignite cast doubt on these calculations.
They refer to reports from experts, including the Coal Exit Research Group, according to which the coal under Lützerath is not needed for the power supply.
What do the courts say?
After umpteen lawsuits and complaints, the dispute has been legally fought through.
The dispute was "judged by all instances," said Green co-boss Omid Nouripour on Tuesday on ZDF.
RWE has a legal right to have the coal excavated under Lützerath.
The farmer Eckardt Heukamp was the last resident to resist his expropriation.
In March 2022, the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in Münster confirmed the lawfulness.
"RWE Power is in possession of all necessary public and private law permits and permits," said a spokesman.
Finally, it was still about the admissibility of the planned evacuation.
On Monday, the Higher Administrative Court rejected a complaint by climate activists against it.
How many people still live in Lützerath?
Only the activists remain in the village.
"All of the originally around 100 residents have left the town, got new houses or have been compensated," explained RWE.
The entire hamlet is now owned by the group.
What are the business consequences for RWE?
The company is benefiting both from the high electricity prices and from the extension of the service life for the two blocks.
Their additional income should remain with RWE.
On the other hand, lignite power generation ends eight years earlier than planned, without the federal government granting higher compensation payments.
The agreed 2.6 billion euros still have to be released by the EU Commission anyway.