Jan 12, 2026
New German gas power plants are delayed due to pending EU approval.
It remains uncertain when Germany will be able to begin constructing new gas power plants to support renewable energy generation, as the EU still needs to approve the proposed state aid, according to the newspaper taz. The economy ministry informed the paper that discussions with the European Commission about the specifics of the planned tenders for these plants are nearing completion, although this phrase has been used for several months, the article notes.
Both the economy ministry and the European Commission have refrained from specifying when they anticipate the negotiations will conclude. The utility association BDEW stated that even if the government manages to initiate a tender by mid-2026, which is still uncertain, the new plants will not be operational before the end of 2031, as reported by taz.
Kerstin Andreae, the head of the lobby group, expressed that the lack of tender criteria for the power plant strategy is increasing time pressure.
The escalating delay jeopardizes the planned coal phase-out in western Germany by 2030, which relies on the availability of backup generation capacity. Michael Kellner, a former Green economy state secretary, cautioned that the ongoing operation or retention of coal power plants “not only harms the climate but is also very costly.”
Germany aims to eliminate coal-fired power plants nationwide by 2038 at the latest per its coal exit law, while North Rhine-Westphalia, a state reliant on coal mining and heavy industry, seeks to achieve this by 2030.
As the country transitions away from coal, it needs to establish alternative generation capacity that can be activated when intermittent wind and solar energy does not meet demand, referred to as "controllable capacity." The government has determined that gas-fired units will play a significant role during this transition, with plans for future conversion to or replacement by green hydrogen facilities. Other flexibility measures, such as large-scale batteries or demand management, will also be considered.
The economic viability of the new gas plants, which will operate only intermittently, can only be secured with additional government support, prompting negotiations for a state aid scheme with the European Commission. A long-overdue government report evaluating the coal exit in terms of supply security and climate targets is expected by August 2026.
Both the economy ministry and the European Commission have refrained from specifying when they anticipate the negotiations will conclude. The utility association BDEW stated that even if the government manages to initiate a tender by mid-2026, which is still uncertain, the new plants will not be operational before the end of 2031, as reported by taz.
Kerstin Andreae, the head of the lobby group, expressed that the lack of tender criteria for the power plant strategy is increasing time pressure.
The escalating delay jeopardizes the planned coal phase-out in western Germany by 2030, which relies on the availability of backup generation capacity. Michael Kellner, a former Green economy state secretary, cautioned that the ongoing operation or retention of coal power plants “not only harms the climate but is also very costly.”
Germany aims to eliminate coal-fired power plants nationwide by 2038 at the latest per its coal exit law, while North Rhine-Westphalia, a state reliant on coal mining and heavy industry, seeks to achieve this by 2030.
As the country transitions away from coal, it needs to establish alternative generation capacity that can be activated when intermittent wind and solar energy does not meet demand, referred to as "controllable capacity." The government has determined that gas-fired units will play a significant role during this transition, with plans for future conversion to or replacement by green hydrogen facilities. Other flexibility measures, such as large-scale batteries or demand management, will also be considered.
The economic viability of the new gas plants, which will operate only intermittently, can only be secured with additional government support, prompting negotiations for a state aid scheme with the European Commission. A long-overdue government report evaluating the coal exit in terms of supply security and climate targets is expected by August 2026.