Government officials are attributing current lower-than-anticipated electricity demand in Germany to policies enacted by the previous coalition government. Minister for Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche, stated in interviews with RTL and ntv that the prior administration’s actions have contributed to a demonstrable contraction in industrial output.
Reiche indicated that industrial production is currently operating at 20% below previous levels. She asserted that the observed decline in electricity consumption directly reflects a period of economic slowdown. “We can see the impact of a recession reflected in the electricity network” Reiche commented.
The former government had projected a doubling of electricity production, a forecast now deemed unrealistic. The current administration is now anticipating a more moderate increase in demand, a shift that Reiche emphasized aims to improve cost efficiency within the energy sector. Officials are attempting to recalibrate energy planning based on the revised economic realities.