German energy utility RWE has decided to transfer five power units rated 300 MW each (total capacity of some 1,500 MW) into “standby” ("Sicherheitsbereitschaft”), which means that the units will be taken off the grid each for four years between 2016 and 2019 and will only be available as facilities of last resort for a limited period of time to safeguard power supplies: units P and Q at Frimmersdorf will enter into standby on 1 October 2017, units E and F at Niederaußem on 1 October 2018 and unit C at Neurath on 1 October 2019. After a 4-year standby period, the units will be definitively shut down.
This decision is in line with the plans by the German Federal Government to transfer a total of 2.7 GW of lignite-fired power capacity into a "standby" for four years before being shut. This measure is expected to save 12.5 MtCO2 in the lignite sector, contributing to the country's policy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% by 2020 compared to the 1990 level.
Interested in Power Plants?
Enerdata has developed a market research service to screen, monitor and analyse the development of power generation assets.
Power Plant Tracker offers an interactive database and a powerful search engine covering power plants worldwide – including both installed and planned capacities for renewables and fossil fuels.