03 May 2017

Power grid needs more backup plants to avoid blackouts in winter

Federal Grid Agency

The German power grid will need more backup power plants to safeguard the system against blackouts during the next winter, the Federal Grid Agency (BNetzA) said in a press release. “We still need backup capacities to stabilise the grid in critical situations,” the agency’s head Jochen Homann said, adding that this showed the importance of a swift grid expansion. The BNetzA said grid operators will need reserves of about 1,600 megawatt (MW) additionally to those already available - bringing the total reserve capacity needed during winter 2017/2018 to 10,400 MW. Homann added that “there will be a significant relaxation next year”, explaining that Austria must manage bottlenecks to unburden the German grid.

Read the press release in German here.

See the CLEW dossier The energy transition and Germany’s power grid for background, and also consult the Factsheet How can Germany keep the lights on in a renewable energy future?

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