Rising electricity prices are a growing worry for North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hannelore Kraft (Social Democrats, SPD). “I am very concerned about the competitiveness of our energy-intensive industry,” Kraft told the newspapers of the WAZ-Group. For many industries, including chemical, steel, aluminium or cement, the electricity price is a key cost factor.
Kraft demanded that the Federal Government ensured that the EU Commission authorised government subsidies for energy-intensive industries so that they could plan long term. Otherwise she fears creeping job losses in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The SPD politician pleaded for the construction of new coal-fired power plants. “We will continue to need fossil fuel plants as a bridge technology,” she said. After all, the Social Democrats had strengthened their vote in the recent state election because of the SPD’s very aggressively support for industry.
Translation Philpp Mueller