A commentary by our author Klaus Bastian:
The Federal Network Agency is developing a “security platform for electricity”—a mechanism designed to facilitate state-mandated curtailment of large-scale power consumers. The system is scheduled to become operational in the winter of 2026/2027 and is intended for use during severe electricity shortages. It would primarily affect industrial facilities with an annual electricity consumption exceeding eight gigawatt-hours per connection point. Under these circumstances, companies could be compelled to reduce or temporarily halt their power intake. Such measures carry the risk of production stoppages, damage to equipment, and significant economic losses. Particularly contentious is the inherent contradiction in energy policy: the federal government is pushing for the comprehensive electrification of industry, even as sufficient dispatchable power plant capacity remains conspicuously absent.
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“Electricity Security Platform” Turns Industry into an Emergency Buffer
With its “Electricity Security Platform,” the Federal Network Agency is establishing the organizational framework for state intervention in industrial electricity consumption. Grid operators and large-scale electricity consumers are required to register and provide comprehensive operational data. In the event of a severe supply crisis, the agency could—based on the Energy Security Act—mandate specific restrictions on consumption. While this is currently intended as a crisis-preparedness tool rather than a mandate for immediate shutdowns, the initiative underscores the extent of state intervention now deemed necessary to manage a potential electricity shortage.
For the industrial sector, this introduces an additional layer of uncertainty. Companies are being encouraged to electrify their production processes—a shift requiring significant investment—while simultaneously having to account for the possibility that the state could limit their electricity usage during a crisis. This is particularly problematic for continuous production processes; chemical plants, smelting furnaces, and industrial heat-treatment facilities cannot simply be interrupted at will. Even brief stoppages can cause substantial damage and necessitate costly restart procedures.
Power plants are disappearing faster than reliable replacements are being built
Germany has shut down its final nuclear power plants and remains committed to phasing out coal. At the same time, the country aims to replace the use of fossil fuels with heat pumps, electric vehicles, and electrified industrial equipment. However, this additional demand for electricity must be met even during extended periods with little wind or sunshine. To ensure this, Germany requires a sufficient number of dispatchable power plants, robust power grids, and energy storage systems. Yet, the necessary expansion of reliable generation capacity is not progressing quickly enough.
The Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) estimates that between 22.4 and 35.5 gigawatts of new, dispatchable power plant capacity will need to be added by 2035. The exact scale of this requirement depends on factors such as grid expansion, overall demand, and the flexibility of energy consumption. The agency has already noted that investments in additional dispatchable capacity are insufficient. Nevertheless, policymakers continue to pursue the electrification of large sectors of the economy. Consequently, the economy’s reliance on the electricity system is growing faster than the system’s long-term security of supply is being bolstered by new power plants.
Rising electricity prices – industry faces additional supply risks
Beyond the risks of government-mandated curtailment, high electricity prices are weighing on the competitiveness of German industry. In the third quarter of 2026, the average wholesale electricity price reached 125.51 euros per megawatt-hour—an increase of 51.7 percent compared to the same quarter the previous year. On September 14, the price even climbed to 740.01 euros per megawatt-hour at one point. During this period, wind and solar installations generated almost no electricity, making the contribution of conventional power plants particularly critical. These figures illustrate the economic consequences of an electricity system in which generation is increasingly dependent on the weather. High levels of feed-in can lead to periodic surpluses and negative market prices. Conversely, when wind and sun are lacking, dispatchable power plants must step in—a scenario that can cause prices to surge. While flexible electricity demand can help ease the strain on the system, such flexibility is often limited in many industrial production processes. Attempting to treat these operations as adjustable loads risks causing economic damage and further weakening the industrial base.
State-mandated electricity rationing is no substitute for security of supply.
The “Electricity Security Platform”—conceived as a last resort to prevent major supply failures—is, in principle, understandable; after all, authorities must remain capable of taking action during a severe energy crisis. The real problem, however, lies in the political sequence of events. Germany continues to create new dependencies on electricity, even though the necessary infrastructure is not being developed at a commensurate pace. Instead of first ensuring sufficient power plant capacity and transmission infrastructure, the state is already preparing mechanisms to restrict industrial energy consumption.
This trend sends a negative signal to investors and businesses. A reliable power supply is a fundamental prerequisite for industrial value creation. Companies cannot gear their production toward political targets or fluctuating weather conditions. Therefore, the federal government must prioritize the expansion of firm power generation capacity and the electricity grid. The Electricity Security Platform can, at best, manage a supply shortage—it cannot resolve one. An energy policy that encourages additional electricity consumption while simultaneously preparing for potential production halts has set its technical and economic priorities wrong.
Author: Klaus Bastian – Blaclout News
Sources: Berliner Zeitung (24.10.26) – Bundesnetzagentur (Stand: 23.10.26) – Kleine Anfrage (06.10.26) – ZVO (20.08.26)