Overview

• Dow Chemical is evaluating the temporary shutdown or closure of its facilities in Schkopau and Böhlen due to unsustainable energy costs.
• Infraleuna CEO Christof Günther cautions that shutting down the Böhlen cracker could lead to the loss of 500 direct jobs and thousands of ancillary roles.
• Germany's energy transition away from coal and nuclear has left gaps in dispatchable capacity, driving up industrial electricity prices and straining competitiveness.
• Günther calls for immediate policy changes, including reduced industrial electricity rates, regulatory relief, and the reinstatement of Russian pipeline gas to stabilize energy costs.
• The potential closure of the Böhlen cracker threatens to disrupt the tightly integrated Mitteldeutsche Chemiedreieck, weakening regional value chains and economic stability.