GERMANY —RWE has secured contracts from Germany’s Federal Network Agency for three new gas-fired power station projects following a competitive auction under the Electricity Supply Security and Capacity Act (StromVKG). The planned facilities will be developed at Voerde, Weisweiler and Werne in North Rhine-Westphalia, with a combined awarded capacity of approximately 2,100 reduced megawatts (rMW). The auction results establish the basis for developing additional dispatchable electricity generation capacity in one of Germany’s major industrial regions.
The three projects comprise a hydrogen-compatible gas-fired facility with approximately 730 rMW at Voerde and two facilities with approximately 700 rMW each at Weisweiler and Werne. Under the auction methodology, only 85% of the installed capacity of gas-fired plants is counted towards their reduced capacity contribution. The selected projects ranked among the lowest-cost bids for providing guaranteed electricity capacity over a 15-year period.
The new facilities are intended to generate electricity when wind and solar production remain insufficient to meet demand over extended periods. Their development addresses a central challenge in Germany’s energy transition: maintaining reliable electricity supplies while increasing dependence on weather-dependent renewable generation. Flexible gas-fired capacity can provide a balancing resource during periods of low renewable output and help support industrial electricity demand.
RWE has already initiated preparatory activities for the developments, including engaging international engineering consortia for regulatory and approval planning, securing manufacturing capacity for critical components and starting permitting procedures. Construction of the first facility is expected to begin within weeks, although individual project commissioning schedules have not been disclosed.
RWE is a Germany-based energy company active in electricity generation, energy trading and the development of renewable and conventional power assets. It currently operates approximately 4,200 MW of gas-fired generation capacity in Germany. The company has also outlined plans to invest approximately EUR 9 billion in flexible power generation, battery storage and hydrogen production facilities by 2031, forming part of its broader strategy to expand energy system flexibility.
For Germany’s power sector, the awards represent a step towards securing additional generation capacity as the country transitions away from conventional coal-fired electricity production. The projects will also create demand for power generation equipment, engineering services, construction contractors and industrial component manufacturers. Their hydrogen-compatible design provides a potential pathway for incorporating hydrogen into future fuel supply arrangements, although the timing and extent of hydrogen use have not been specified.
For RWE, the 15-year capacity awards provide a long-term framework for developing the three facilities and participating in Germany’s evolving electricity security market. The projects will strengthen the company’s position in flexible generation while giving industrial electricity consumers an additional source of dispatchable supply as renewable energy capacity expands. Financial values for the individual awards and total construction investment have not been disclosed.
