LEAG
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 LEAG administrative building in Cottbus | |
| Industry | Energy |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
| Key people | Adi Roesch (CEO)[1] |
| Products | Electricity, district heating[2] |
| Parent | EP Group (ultimate parent)[2] |
| Website | www |
LEAG is a German energy group headquartered in Cottbus, Brandenburg. Its activities include lignite mining, electricity generation, renewable energy development, energy storage and biomass. Its mining and conventional power-generation operations are concentrated in Lusatia, in eastern Germany.[3] Reuters described LEAG as Germany's second-largest electricity producer in 2024.[4]
History and ownership
[edit]LEAG emerged in 2016 following the sale of Vattenfall's German lignite business to the Czech energy company Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) and its financial partner PPF Investments. The transaction was completed on 30 September 2016. It included the Jänschwalde, Boxberg and Schwarze Pumpe power stations, Block R at Lippendorf, and associated opencast mines.[5]
PPF Group subsequently sold its remaining 30% shareholding in LEAG Holding to a subsidiary of EP Group connected to EPH.[6]
Organisation
[edit]A restructuring approved in January 2025 provided for LEAG GmbH to become the umbrella holding company. The group's lignite operations comprise Lausitz Energie Bergbau AG, responsible for mining, and Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG, responsible for conventional electricity generation. Their activities are grouped under Lausitz Energie Verwaltungs GmbH.[7][3]
New business activities are organised under LEAG Gigawatt GmbH. These include LEAG Renewables GmbH for wind and solar development, LEAG Clean Power GmbH for storage and new power-generation projects, and LEAG Biomass GmbH for biomass activities. LE Finance GmbH supports project financing.[7][3]
Energy transition
[edit]LEAG's development programme, called the GigawattFactory, combines renewable electricity generation with storage and flexible power plants.[3] In February 2024, the company outlined plans for 7 GW of renewable generation capacity by 2030 and gas-fired power stations at four locations with a combined capacity of at least 3 GW.[4]
In November 2025, LEAG Clean Power and Fluence announced plans to build a battery storage system at Jänschwalde with 1 GW of power capacity and 4 GWh of energy storage.[8]
That month, the European Commission approved German compensation of up to €1.75 billion for the early closure of LEAG's lignite power plants in Lusatia. The approved measure covers closures scheduled between 2028 and 2038 and provides compensation for eligible additional costs and lost profits.[9]
Mine restoration
[edit]Financing the restoration of former mining areas has been a subject of debate. A July 2025 analysis by Forum Ökologisch-Soziale Marktwirtschaft (FÖS) argued that LEAG's restructuring increased the risk of insufficient funding for long-term mining liabilities.[10]
LEAG disputed concerns about the financing arrangements, stating in September 2025 that its lignite businesses retained sufficient resources and that dedicated provision companies offered additional protection for restoration funding.[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ "LEAG's management". LEAG. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- 1 2 "About LEAG Group". LEAG. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "About LEAG Group". LEAG. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- 1 2 Kaeckenhoff, Tom; More, Rachel; Steitz, Christoph (23 February 2024). "Germany's LEAG plans to build four gas power plants". MarketScreener. Reuters. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- ↑ "Vattenfall completes German lignite business sale" (Press release). Vattenfall. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- ↑ "PPF Group agreed to sell its shareholding in LEAG" (Press release). PPF Group. 24 March 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- 1 2 Siemer, Jochen (28 January 2025). "LEAG gründet drei Tochtergesellschaften für Erneuerbare, Speicher und Wasserstoff". pv magazine Deutschland (in German). Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- ↑ "LEAG and Fluence to build the largest battery storage project in Europe with a capacity of 4 GWh" (Press release). Fluence. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- ↑ "Vorzeitige Stilllegung von Braunkohlekraftwerken: Kommission genehmigt LEAG-Beihilfe" (Press release) (in German). European Commission. 18 November 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- ↑ Analyse der Werthaltigkeitsbescheinigung im Rahmen der LEAG-Umstrukturierung (PDF) (Report) (in German). Forum Ökologisch-Soziale Marktwirtschaft. July 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
- ↑ "Neue LEAG-Struktur sichert Verpflichtungen nach wie vor doppelt ab" (Press release) (in German). LEAG. 29 September 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
