Lig­nite clo­sure

Closure of lignite-fired power plants

With its "Climate Action Programme 2020" the German federal government decided in 2014 that all sectors must help to reduce emissions. Among other things the programme expects to save 22m tons of carbon dioxide by focusing on the electricity sector and European certificate trading. In its section 13g EnWG, the 2016 Electricity Market Act (Act of 26 July 2016 - Federal Law Gazette Part I 2016 No 57, page 1786) created the basis for lignite-fired power plants with a total capacity of 2.7 gigawatts to be gradually removed from the market and provisionally closed starting in 2016. These plants are used as a final safeguard of the power supply for a period of four years, after which the blocks are permanently closed.

In accordance with section 13g EnWG the blocks listed below of several lignite-fired power plants from the electricity market are first temporarily closed and then, after four years on security standby, they are permanently closed. The operators of the lignite-fired power plants to be closed receive remuneration for keeping the plants on standby and for the subsequent final closure.

Power plants that are on security standby can be used by a TSO solely in accordance with section 1(6) of the Security of Electricity Supply Ordinance (EltSV), ie when despite free pricing on the electricity market there is an unexpected imbalance between supply and demand, for example in the event of unfo

Closure of lignite-fired power plants

With its "Climate Action Programme 2020" the German federal government decided in 2014 that all sectors must help to reduce emissions. Among other things the programme expects to save 22m tons of carbon dioxide by focusing on the electricity sector and European certificate trading. In its section 13g EnWG, the 2016 Electricity Market Act (Act of 26 July 2016 - Federal Law Gazette Part I 2016 No 57, page 1786) created the basis for lignite-fired power plants with a total capacity of 2.7 gigawatts to be gradually removed from the market and provisionally closed starting in 2016. These plants are used as a final safeguard of the power supply for a period of four years, after which the blocks are permanently closed.

In accordance with section 13g EnWG the blocks listed below of several lignite-fired power plants from the electricity market are first temporarily closed and then, after four years on security standby, they are permanently closed. The operators of the lignite-fired power plants to be closed receive remuneration for keeping the plants on standby and for the subsequent final closure.

Power plants that are on security standby can be used by a TSO solely in accordance with section 1(6) of the Security of Electricity Supply Ordinance (EltSV), ie when despite free pricing on the electricity market there is an unexpected imbalance between supply and demand, for example in the event of unforeseeable extreme weather. At the same time, placing the following lignite-fired power plants on security standby and then permanently closing them contributes to meeting national and European climate protection goals.

reseeable extreme weather. At the same time, placing the following lignite-fired power plants on security standby and then permanently closing them contributes to meeting national and European climate protection goals.