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Bavarian Prime Minister Söder: Nuclear power as a buffer
Photo: Sven Hoppe / picture alliance / dpa
For fear of a rapid drop in line pressure, Bavaria is demanding a stress test for the domestic gas supply from the federal government.
"It is feared that in the event of a gas shortage, the gas pressure might not be sufficient to supply the gas power plants needed in Bavaria to ensure security of supply," says a five-page letter from Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) to Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck ( Greens), which is available to the German Press Agency in Munich.
In addition, there is a fear that in this case the line capacities will not be sufficient to supply Bavaria with the necessary electricity from coal-fired power plants in the west and east, according to the letter, which was sent from Munich to Berlin on Tuesday.
“In this context, it is irritating that this stress test, which was promised for May 2022, has still not been submitted despite the worsening situation.” When asked, the State Chancellery said that neither the results of a stress test were known nor whether it was carried out at all.
Coal-fired power plants connected to the grid
In the letter, Söder refers to calculations by the Federal Network Agency, according to which a gas shortage will also occur if Russian gas deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline remain at the currently restricted level of 40 percent.
In addition to the stress test, Söder also asked in the letter for all gas storage facilities relevant to Bavaria to be filled again.
For the storage facility in Haidach, Austria, the necessary agreement with Austria must therefore be concluded “as soon as possible”.
In order to store more gas supplies for autumn and winter, Söder continued, the coal-fired power plants in Germany would have to go back online in the grid reserve as soon as possible.
Although the Federal Council wants to create the necessary legal basis for this on July 8, “unfortunately, from the point of view of the state government, this step comes too late”.
As a result, too much gas was "unnecessarily" converted.
»In May and June 2022, the net electricity generation from gas was more than four terawatt hours.
The power plants were running at almost full load.«
In his letter, Söder again called for the continued operation of the German nuclear reactors.
In this way, electricity generation from gas can be reduced, security of supply increased and the stability of the power supply system improved.
The state government does not see any "valid arguments" against extending the nuclear lifespan.
The "technical, legal and personnel problems" raised by the federal government were expressly not shared.
"From the point of view of the state government, Bavaria needs nuclear power as a safety buffer to maintain the stability of the electricity grid in Bavaria in the event of a gas shortage."
mik/dpa-AFX