The European Commission has approved the planned support for the construction of new gas-fired power plants in Germany, worth up to €35 billion. The federal government will be allowed to promote the construction of these facilities with a multibillion-euro package from 2031.
Over the next five years, numerous new gas power plants with a total capacity of 11 gigawatts are to be built in Germany, and they must be connected to the grid by the end of 2031 at the latest. The costs are to be borne by all electricity consumers through a new surcharge starting in 2031, although it remains unclear how much more expensive electricity will become.
The Commission justified its approval on the grounds of supply security: the plants are intended to prevent gaps in the electricity supply from 2031 and to step in when there is too little wind and solar power. The subsidies would be awarded through a fair, non-discriminatory process, which would limit the impact on competition.
The new facilities will initially burn natural gas but will later be converted to hydrogen. By 2030, at least 80 percent of electricity should come from renewable sources, and by 2038 Germany wants to phase out coal-fired power generation.
Source: www.sueddeutsche.de
