Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - In the debate about an earlier exit from coal in the east, Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) again warned of the consequences of such a step. "First of all, we should put as many domestic energy sources as possible on the market in order to ensure a secure and affordable energy supply. Successful structural change also requires the simultaneous development of new infrastructure and new qualified jobs. This is not feasible by 2030," said Haseloff German Press Agency on Tuesday in Magdeburg. "The implementation of energy policy goals must not be at the expense of the people in Central Germany again."
Saxony-Anhalt's Energy Minister Armin Willingmann (SPD) was open to a debate on an earlier phase-out of coal in the East on Monday. It is a fact that the current heavy use of gas and coal for power generation is well behind the CO2 targets. "And this catching-up process will only succeed if one agrees after the acute crisis: Now we must and can get out of fossil fuels faster," said the SPD politician, who will be chairman of the energy ministers' conference in 2023.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck is also pushing for an earlier phase-out of coal in the East. An early exit to 2030 must be agreed in consensus, said the Green politician. This must be "perceived as a good plan in a broad alliance." According to Habeck, he has sensible arguments for the plan.
According to the current legal situation, the last decommissioning of power plant blocks in Germany is planned for 2038 - at the operator Leag in Lusatia.
