Uniper announces closure of modern gas plant Irsching once again

German energy company Uniper, together with three other co-owners of gas-fired power stations Irsching 4 and 5, has announced plans to decommission the “ultra-efficient and modern” plants for the second time in two years. In a joint press release, plant owners Uniper, Mainova, N-ERGIE and ENTEGA said they could “once again see no viable market prospects for the power plant” as the law forced them to offer the plant’s services “at prices below cost”. They added that they believed the requirement was “unconstitutional.” The plants, in operation since 2010 and 2011 respectively, were “particularly well suited” to rapid cushioning of fluctuating power generation by wind and solar plants, the owners said. “Yet this safeguard, upon which every electricity consumer in Germany relies, is not given appropriate remuneration.” If the grid agency (BNetzA) deems the plants to be relevant to the stability of the power system, it will not permit the shutdown.

Find the press release in English here.

See the CLEW dossier Energiewende effects on power prices, costs and industry for background.