It was not a conspiracy theory: from January onwards, the German government will be allowed to cut off your electricity

What was decried as a conspiracy theory will become reality from January 1st: The Federal Network Agency, a downstream authority of Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck, allows regional electricity suppliers to significantly reduce the energy supply to households “in mandatory exceptions” - especially if local networks are overloaded due to too many charging electric cars and heating heat pumps.

“Today we are taking precautions to ensure that heat pumps and charging devices for electric cars can be connected quickly and operated safely,” celebrates Klaus Müller, head of the Federal Network Agency.

But one thing is clear: the power grids are not at all prepared for rapid expansion. An expansion would be necessary if the electrification of mobility and heating is to work.

“However, most of the low-voltage networks are currently not yet designed for rapid ramp-up,” says the Federal Network Agency’s press release. Until then, throttling will be necessary. For example, on cold winter evenings when everyone wants to heat and charge their electric cars. Everything at the same time simply won't always be possible.

Because, surprise: “Controllable consumption devices such as heat pumps and private charging devices for electric cars have higher performance than most household appliances. Controllable consumption devices also more often receive electricity at the same time,” it goes on to say.

The Federal Network Agency calls this “dimming” when the local energy supplier has to reduce electricity purchases due to the threat of network overload. This is stated in the Federal Network Agency's new “Regulations for the integration of controllable consumption devices”, which will come into force on January 1, 2024. Controllable consumption devices mean heat pumps and private charging devices for electric cars.

Exciting: While electricity throttling will be permitted from January, electricity suppliers are no longer allowed to refuse or delay the addition of e-car charging points or heat pumps, even if regular overloads are to be expected.

The electricity is not switched off. However, the electricity can be reduced to 4.2 kilowatts: “This means that heat pumps can continue to be operated and electric cars can usually be recharged for a distance of 50 kilometers in two hours,” says the Federal Network Agency. Regular household electricity is not affected. This makes mobility a lottery game, especially in the cold winter months.

Source: Nius