Ensuring the Power Plant Site in Schkopau Remains Secured, According to Willingmann - Ensures the Safety of Schkopau Power Plant Location: Willingmann's Plan
In Saxony-Anhalt, Energy Minister Armin Willingmann seeks a sustainable future for the Schkopau power plant. The SPD politician emphasized the importance of securing prospects for the site beyond the coal phase-out, following a cabinet meeting in Magdeburg. The extensive infrastructure at Schkopau could be utilized in future endeavors.
The Schkopau power plant is currently capable of converting up to five million tonnes of brown coal annually into electricity and process steam. This energy is supplied to households and industrial entities. With the planned coal phase-out, coal-fired power generation is scheduled to cease by 2038 at the latest. At Schkopau, this transition may occur a few years earlier.
Minister Willingmann suggested the possibility of converting Schkopau into a hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plant. The Federal Minister of Economics, Katharina Reiche (CDU), is expected to present the new power plant strategy promptly and tender new capacities, Willingmann noted. The federal government's power plant strategy was also discussed at the energy ministers' conference last week. The ministers advocated for the initiation of the first tenders this year.
Notably, Uniper's May 2025 Capital Markets Story indicates that the Schkopau gas-fired power plant (open cycle gas turbine, OCGT) has already been converted to run on biofuel. However, as of mid-2025, no definitive confirmation exists concerning a complete conversion to hydrogen-capable gas-fired power generation. The hydrogen conversion plans are presumed to be in the early or intermediate stages but not yet confirmed as completed or operational.
Schkopau power plant, currently operating with brown coal, may transition to a hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plant to secure its future beyond the coal phase-out. This transformation could be aided by investments and policies in renewable-energy, finance, and the industry, considering Minister Willingmann's plans and the federal government's power plant strategy.
