Federal Minister Found in Dresden: Where's the Agenda?
In a recent visit to Dresden and the Lusatia region, Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche aimed to address concerns about the planned construction of new gas-fired power plants in eastern Germany. Reiche's primary objective was to reassure local stakeholders that eastern Germany, including Lusatia, would not be disadvantaged compared to southern Germany in the development of these power plants, which are crucial to supplement renewable energy during low production periods.
During her visit, Reiche engaged with the energy company LEAG, which operates lignite power plants and is undergoing a transformation in light of the coal phase-out scheduled by 2038. Reiche highlighted the region's advantages, such as proximity to hydrogen infrastructure and significant industrial demand, and emphasized her commitment to ensuring funding and support for eastern Germany as part of the national energy transition plan.
However, Reiche's visit also sparked controversy and criticism. LEAG employees and the works council expressed skepticism and dissatisfaction, fearing that the so-called "southern bonus" would lead to regional disadvantages, accusing the government approach of lacking fairness. The concern was that southern Germany might be prioritized for new gas-fired plant approvals, potentially sidelining Lusatia’s energy sector.
Reiche refuted these concerns publicly as "unfounded," but the protest from LEAG employees underlined ongoing tensions about the equitable distribution of energy investments and the pace of transition in the coal-dependent East.
Accompanying Reiche on her visit was Dietmar Woidke (SPD), who emphasized the federal government's commitment to maintaining the traditional location of the Kraftwerk Schwarze Pumpe power plant, which is situated in Lusatia. The exact conditions of the tender for the "Transformation Bonus" are currently being worked out, and it remains to be seen how these tensions will be resolved in the coming months.
[1] Reiche's visit to Dresden and Lusatia: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/news/katherina-reiche-besucht-dresden-und-lausitz-1858234 [3] LEAG employees protest against the "southern bonus": https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/leag-arbeiter-protestieren-gegen-den-suedbonus-10-milliarden-euro-fuer-neue-kraftwerke-in-sueddeutschland-10-12-2021 [4] Federal Minister Reiche's commitment to eastern Germany: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/news/katherina-reiche-besucht-dresden-und-lausitz-1858234
- Despite Reiche's commitment to ensure fair funding for eastern Germany's energy transition, the "southern bonus" controversy has arisen, with LEAG employees fearing potential regional disparities in the approval of new gas-fired power plants, as part of the policy-and-legislation discussion surrounding politics and general-news.
- The ongoing tensions about the equitable distribution of energy investments in the coal-dependent East, as highlighted during Reiche's visit to Dresden and Lusatia, are being closely watched in the context of the national energy transition plan, politics, and general-news, as crucial decisions are made in the realm of policy-and-legislation.
