It had become apparent that the federal government would prefer the port of Mukran for an LNG terminal on the Rügen site. She has now also informed the state government.
According to the Economics Ministry of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the federal government is planning to build a terminal for liquefied natural gas in the port of Mukran in eastern Rügen. This emerges from a reply from the Schwerin Economics Minister Reinhard Meyer (SPD) to a letter from the Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens).
In his response, which has now become known, Meyer refers to the federal government’s considerations “for an LNG supply at the Mukran site with specific project sponsors”. Meyer pushed for another meeting on the island to present the plans. “The port of Mukran is a good place for this dialogue.”
He refers to a letter Habeck sent on Friday. In it, the federal government presented the need, emphasized the special importance of the Lubmin entry point and also explained the consideration of other alternative locations.
Meyer told the German press agency: “At least the federal government has presented a stringent argument by saying that the capacities cannot be sewn on edge.”
Two regasification units in Mukran?
Germany must prepare for all eventualities. The EU is still getting gas from Russia and no one can say whether next winter will be as mild as the last. “No one wants to experience a gas shortage,” Meyer said. In addition, Lubmin near Greifswald, where a mobile terminal already exists, is of great importance for a secure gas supply in eastern Germany as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria. The change in the LNG Acceleration Act (LNGG) is now decisive, because Mukran is not yet listed there as a location.
According to Meyer, two so-called regasification units are to be moored in the port of Mukran, which was built in the late 1980s to expand sea freight transport between East Germany and the Soviet Union. One of these is in operation in front of Lubmin and should then be relocated. The gas is then to be transported to Lubmin through an approximately 50-kilometer-long underwater pipeline, where it will be fed into the nationwide pipeline network. Here the non-operating German-Russian pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 land and several large-capacity lines meet for onward distribution.
According to Meyer, the building applications should be submitted to the state’s approval authorities in June, and the pipeline should be completed by next winter if possible. “It’s extremely ambitious,” he said.
“We have to talk about what Rügen gets out of it,” said Meyer. On the one hand, the federal government must ensure that the infrastructure to be created can also be used for the production and transport of green hydrogen and is therefore sustainable. “But there will also be other topics, for example electricity prices and other things,” said Meyer. The talks will take place before the planned change to the LNGG.
Terminal opponents are up in arms
The federal government had repeatedly indicated its preference for Mukran as a location. Several communities on Rügen and associations do not want a terminal on or off the coast of the island. They fear for the environment and tourism, which is important for Rügen. They criticize that unnecessary overcapacity would be created. Opponents have been up in arms against the plans for months – with demonstrations, petitions, surveys and declarations.
In the event that Rügen is included in the LNGG, the municipality of Binz has announced legal action. Inclusion would classify a terminal planned there as a priority project and pave the way for a faster approval process. The mayor of Binz, Karsten Schneider, criticized, “We are not informed that a decision has been made. We know absolutely nothing about it.” He was unconvinced by the arguments for the terminal. “We will use all the means at our disposal to stop the construction.”
Source: Stern
