LEAG employees protest: No south bonus for our region!

LEAG employees protest: No south bonus for our region!

In the heart of Brandenburg, more than 1,500 employees of the energy group Leag took to the streets last weekend, and their message is clear. The protest is triggered by the planned “south bonus” for new gas power plants, which was brought into play by Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reich (CDU). The workforce in the Cottbus stadium called for a fair distribution of the power plant buildings in Germany with banners such as "no blackout" and "Transformation bonus instead of south bonus". The image of the "south bonus" is often interpreted as a disadvantage for Lusatia, where Leag also plans hydrogen -capable gas power plants in black pumps and Jänschwalde industrial parks.

Katherina Reiche announced that two thirds of the gas power plant performance advertised in the future should be located in southern Germany. In plain language, this means that about 13.3 out of 20 gigawatts planned performance could flow to Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, while the rest, only about 6.7 gigawatt, for the other federal states. This has called on the corporate chairman Uwe Teubner, who determines that the southern bonus could significantly restrict the future channels of the LEAG. "We need a transformation bonus that promotes investments in Lausitz," says Teubner.
BORKENER Zeitung reports the need not to disadvantage the region in the planned investments.

The challenge of the energy transition

The discussion about the new gas power plants is part of a major problem: the German energy transition. Minister Reiche calls for a quick new building of gas power plants so that the country is better prepared for "dark down" if the sun and wind cannot provide enough energy. In your program, tenders for at least 20 gigawatts are provided for gas power plant capacity in order to guarantee security of supply. Examples from other countries, such as the recent power failure on the Iberian Peninsula, show how important flexible energy generation is.
Tagesschau also reported on rich efforts, long-term gas delivery contracts Secure and reduce electricity prices to strengthen the domestic economy.

But the situation is not only politically excited, it also has direct economic effects on the LEAG. CEO Adolf Roesch commented on the challenging business situation, which, despite higher income, has to deal in the first quarter. For example, the company has lost more than two million euros on contribution margin over the Pentecost weekend. Despite the confusing future in energy supply, Roesch assured that the safety of jobs is a top priority, even if it cannot make a specific promise of how this will look concrete.

The announced "south bonus" could not only endanger the plans of LEAG, but also prevent the structural change in Lusatia, which is urgently needed after the coal phase -out. From 2038, no electricity will be obtained from lignite, and regions such as Lausitz are faced with major changes that require new investments and jobs. The transformation bonus that Teubner demands could be the key to make the region future -proof and thus also strengthen its economic basis.

The coming weeks and months will show how the federal government positions themselves in the distribution of investments and funding, and whether the votes of the LEAG employees are heard. If you look at the high participation in the protest actions, it is assumed that there is still a lot of discussion in Lusatia to find the right solutions for the future of energy.