Germany pushes new power‑plant location rules in upcoming supply‑security law

Germany’s draft Electricity Supply and Capacity Act (Strom‑VKG) is set to be passed by the Bundestag before the summer break, with the first capacity auctions slated for 2026. The legislation aims to secure back‑up power generation for periods when wind and solar output is insufficient. Current provisions favour the south and west, leaving northern and eastern states at risk of being underserved.

Industry representatives have called for three key amendments: guaranteed investment security before bidding, removal of a statutory price cap, and safeguards to keep smaller and medium‑size players from being excluded. Kerstin Andreae of the BDEW stressed the urgency, noting that building a gas plant can take at least five years.

Critics such as Felix Fleckenstein (DGB) and Stefan Kapferer (50Hertz) argue that the so‑called “Südbonus” must be rebalanced, proposing that two‑thirds of new capacity be built in the technical south and one‑third in the north, including former coal‑plant sites in the east. They emphasize that proper site distribution is essential for reliable grid operation, not merely a regional political issue.