On the morning of January 3, residents in southeastern Germany were urged to limit electricity consumption due to local grid strain. Regional grid operator TransnetBW revealed that high demand had overloaded power lines connecting the north and southwest, leaving the state of Baden-Württemberg in a tight spot.
On January 2, TransnetBW issued app notifications asking residents to reduce electricity use between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. the next day. The request specifically targeted activities like charging laptops and electric vehicles, running energy-hungry appliances like washing machines and dishwashers, and using ovens or electric heaters.
The company assured citizens that outages were unlikely, but stabilizing the grid required importing additional power from abroad and activating auxiliary fossil fuel power plants.
“To stabilize the grid, TransnetBW must draw on large amounts of electricity from conventional power plants and neighboring countries,” the operator explained via its StromGedacht app. “With your help, the high costs of these measures for the general public can be reduced, and CO2 emissions saved.”
Baden-Württemberg authorities had boasted on December 21 about the state’s “super-green” energy grid. However, the closure of the region’s three nuclear power plants as part of Germany’s nationwide nuclear phase-out has placed added pressure on the energy infrastructure.
Interestingly, a leaked 2022 letter from German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck to France’s then-energy minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher hinted at Germany’s dependence on French nuclear power to navigate its nuclear exit.
While urging moderation, TransnetBW noted that battery-powered devices could serve as alternatives during the critical hours. The operator’s swift actions highlight the balancing act required to maintain stability while transitioning to greener energy sources.
For now, residents are doing their part to ensure the lights stay on—without having to resort to more drastic measures.
