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Staudinger power plant near Großkrotzenburg: coal supply at risk
Photo: Frank Rumpenhorst / dpa
The low water level in the Rhine endangers the supply of coal for the Staudinger 5 power plant in Großkrotzenburg in Hesse.
A company spokesman said that the energy company Uniper may have to reduce electricity production there in the next few weeks.
On the so-called ad hoc ticker of the EEX energy exchange, the company reported that irregularities in the operation of the power plant could occur until September 7 due to limited coal reserves.
According to the company, the Staudinger power plant is the largest conventional power plant in Hesse.
Uniper's block 5, which is fired with hard coal, is currently the only one used on the electricity market.
Block 4, which is fired with natural gas, is maintained by the network operator Tennet for network stabilization and as reserve capacity.
In addition, the city of Hanau and the local community would be supplied with district heating from the power plant.
The Federal Association of German Inland Shipping (BDB) only warned in Duisburg on Wednesday: "The current low water is increasingly impeding freight shipping in Germany.
Shipping is one of the "systemically important factors" for the transport of coal, grain, animal feed, building materials, mineral oil, containers and industrial raw materials, according to the BDB.
The water levels, which have been falling for weeks, especially on the Rhine, Elbe and Danube, mean that ships can only take part of the usual cargo to avoid running aground.
The federal government recently saved the energy company Uniper from bankruptcy.
As of autumn, millions of gas customers will therefore face additional price increases, and the federal government is planning a state levy.
From October, companies and private households will probably be charged an additional several hundred euros per year.
The surcharge is intended to benefit gas suppliers such as Uniper, who have to buy replacement gas from Russia at high prices for missing gas volumes.
hey/dpa