Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) visited the Schwarze Pumpe power plant and industrial park yesterday Photo: picture alliance/dpa
By Michael Sauerbier
Surprising change of opinion in Brandenburg’s head of government! Dietmar Woidke (61, SPD) is now open to talks about an earlier exit from the Lusatian lignite. Only the mining and power plant group LEAG is still stonewalling.
During the visit of the Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck in Lusatia, the world was upside down on Wednesday: LEAG boss Thorsten Kramer insisted on burning climate-damaging lignite until 2038, although he had already given 2033 as the exit date.
Prime Minister Woidke, on the other hand, was suddenly ready to talk about an earlier coal exit. So far he had insisted on 2038.
Woidke: “We also have good proposals on the table and we are ready to enter into discussions.” Prerequisite: Lusatia remains an energy location – for green electricity and gas.
LEAG builds huge wind and solar power plants on their opencast mine dumps. Their electricity is to be turned into “green” hydrogen.
Habeck supports the construction of the necessary gas storage with 28.5 million euros. His goal is a coal out of 2030. The Rhenish lignite giant RWE has already promised.