In a recent development, the Water Management Department of the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment (LfU) has decided against allowing Tesla to build its planned battery factory in Grünheide, Brandenburg. The expansion plans were set to include an increase in battery storage production capacity from the current 50 to 100 gigawatt-hours per year, alongside a doubling of electric car production capacity.
The Brandenburg Ministry of the Environment had initiated public participation in the approval process for the Tesla factory expansion just a few days ago, during which it became known that the carmaker intended to include “cell production in building A120” as part of its expansion plans.
However, the Water Management Department has raised concerns about the proposed battery factory and process wastewater recycling plant being partially located in a water protection area. As a result, the department sees these location factors as “insurmountable obstacles to a partial permit,” which would require Tesla to seek approval from the lower water authority.
Tesla has acknowledged the need to adjust its expansion plans for the Grünheide plant in light of the rejection. Nevertheless, the company maintains that the expansion of battery cell production is not planned within the water protection area, making an amendment to the application unnecessary. Additionally, Tesla claims that the process wastewater recycling plant can be accommodated by retrofitting the already approved existing wastewater treatment plant. The carmaker has also reassured that wastewater treatment plants for further expansions are planned outside the water protection area.
As the regional German publication rbb24 reports, the lower water authority is currently reviewing the application documents and is expected to weigh in on the matter soon. Until a decision is reached, the extent to which Tesla will need to modify its plans remains uncertain.
Tesla had submitted its application for the Grünheide plant expansion in March 2023, but the recent developments regarding the water protection area have put a pause on the project’s progress. The company is now navigating the regulatory process to address the concerns raised by the Water Management Department and the potential implications on its ambitious expansion plans in the region.
