Energy crisis: Habeck accuses Bavaria of wrong political decisions

Created: 08/21/2022, 19:58

By: Moritz Serif

Economics Minister Robert Habeck speaks at the open day in his ministry.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance

Economics Minister Habeck criticizes Bavaria's energy policy.

If there are supply bottlenecks, the country is partly to blame.

Berlin - According to the assessment of Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens), possible bottlenecks in the power supply in winter would also be the result of political mistakes in Bavaria.

In the "south-eastern German region" renewable energies have not been sufficiently expanded, Habeck criticized on Sunday in Berlin at the open day in his ministry.

The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) always refers to the well-developed solar energy in his country, said Habeck.

"The only problem is that the sun doesn't shine at night in Bavaria either, and the days are shorter in Bavaria in January too.

That means you can't do anything with solar energy at night in Bavaria in January, you also need other forms.

They have not been expanded."

Energy crisis: Robert Habeck accuses Bayern of making mistakes

This could also have been compensated for with electricity from northern Germany if the power grids had been expanded - which, however, did not happen sufficiently.

Under certain circumstances, this could become a problem.

Germany is an electricity export country, there is a European electricity trade, stressed Habeck.

The supply situation in winter on the European electricity market is "not without an impact on the supply situation in Bavaria".

The Vice Chancellor said, referring to the ongoing stress test, that the situation in winter is currently being calculated.

"Even if the mistakes were made by the Bavarian state government, that's no excuse for a federal government to say: Then we'll leave them alone." Habeck also spoke out against commissioning Nord Stream 2.

CSU contradicts: "Habeck has absolutely no idea about Bavaria"

The CSU rejected the criticism of the Minister of Economics in a statement.

"Habeck has absolutely no idea about Bavaria," said General Secretary Martin Huber.

Bavaria generates as much electricity from hydropower alone as all of Rhineland-Palatinate from all renewable energies in total.

Addressing Habeck, Huber said: "Instead of attacking the leader in renewable energies, he should do his job: conclude supply contracts, initiate trade agreements and extend nuclear power plant operating times." (mse / dpa)