In the fourth tender for the German capacity reserve, RWE Generation has once again been awarded contracts for the natural gas combined-cycle units F and G, as well as for the K1 gas turbine at the Gersteinwerk site in Werne.
This means that the three plants will provide a total of 820 megawatts of reserve capacity between 1 October 2026 and 30 September 2028. RWE Generation had already been awarded the contract for these three power plant units in the third tender – at that time for the period from 2024 to 2026.
The capacity reserve provides additional power during periods when there is insufficient electricity available on the wholesale market to meet demand. Plants in the capacity reserve must be ready to start up at any time.
Dr Aiko Vogelsang, Head of the Gersteinwerk: “The renewed award for our units F, G and K1 demonstrates the vital importance of the gas-fired power plants at the Gersteinwerk site for a reliable energy system. With our flexible backup capacity, we make an important contribution to security of supply and the stability of the electricity system – particularly at a time when the expansion of renewable energies is gaining further momentum.”
Images of the Gerstein power station (image rights: RWE) are available for media use in the mediathek.