The energy industry sharply rejected the federal government’s proposals to reduce gas consumption in the electricity sector. The corresponding draft law of the Federal Ministry of Energy and Climate (BMWK) represents in part a “considerable, disproportionate and therefore unjustified interference with the fundamental rights of the companies concerned”, explained the Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) to WELT AM SONNTAG.
The managing director of the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU), Ingbert Liebing, warned that the law “endangers the heat supply of private households and protected customers”.
On Tuesday last week, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology submitted the draft of a gas reduction law to parliament as a “formulation aid” for the federal government to be voted on by the departments. It envisages that the Ministry of Economics will be authorized by an “ordinance authorization” to reduce or completely prevent natural gas power generation in Germany for a period of six months as soon as a threat “to the reliability of the gas supply system cannot be ruled out”.
In addition, the ministry wants to be able to impose a fine (“penalty”) on electricity production in gas-fired power plants. So-called combined heat and power plants (KWK), which also feed district heating networks, are not fundamentally exempt from the interventions.
“The BDEW rejects the planned measures to reduce gas consumption in the form,” said the energy association led by former Green politician Kerstin Andreae, according to the report. It is irresponsible that among the gas power plants even combined heat and power plants can be affected, although they are needed for the operation of district heating networks in the cities.
“The draft law,” BDEW warns further, has “great scope and a signal effect on the market, as well as investments in hydrogen-capable power plants that will be necessary in the future.”
