With a view to the energy supply in winter, the Jänschwalde (Spree-Neisse) power plant is also becoming more and more important. To secure the heat supply, two blocks in the power plant are to remain on standby for longer than planned – but mainly to produce district heating in an emergency. Brandenburg’s Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach made that clear. The RBB had previously reported.
The energy company Leag is already preparing for this – also by hiring more employees, as Leag spokeswoman Kathi Gerstner explained on Wednesday on request. Technical requirements for the blocks for possible use are currently being examined.
The company had previously assumed that Block F would be shut down at the end of September this year and Block E at the end of September next year.
However, it is to be expected that the federal government will decide to extend the security stand-by, said the spokeswoman. Then reserve systems may be used on the electricity market for a limited period of time specified by the federal government.
According to Leag, the draft of a formulation aid from the Federal Cabinet provides that the two units of the Jänschwalde power plant E and F, which are already on security standby, will be transferred to a “temporary lignite supply reserve” by March 31, 2024.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck wants to continue to arm Germany for a possible collapse in Russian gas supplies and to expand the number of coal-fired power plants in reserve. Shut down lignite-fired power plants are on so-called security standby so that they can help out in the event of bottlenecks. In order for this to work faster, they are to be transferred to a new supply reserve.
According to Leag, the district heating production for the city of Cottbus and Peitz is guaranteed in any case via the four blocks A – D. These are not on standby.
According to the company, there is currently no need for action for the other Leag power plants in Schwarze Pumpe, Boxberg and Block R in Lippendorf (Saxony) – their operating times extend beyond March 31, 2024 in accordance with the coal phase-out law.
