Germany Plans to Grant Priority Railroad Passage to Fuel Cargo Trains, Reports Say

BERLIN (Sputnik) - The German authorities plan to grant priority passage to trains carrying coal, oil and gas in the conditions of the energy crisis, whereas usually priority is given to passenger trains, the Welt newspaper reported, citing a draft bill.

The discussion of these plans has caused a controversy in the German government; however, ruling coalition partners agree that cargo trains should have the priority right of railroad passage in order to timely provide supplies for coal-fired power plants, which have been deconserved recently, according to the report.

If the priority passage is reassigned, train passengers would likely experience disruptions in regional traffic, according to the newspaper.

In July, as part of the fight against the energy crisis and plans to abandon Russian gas, the German government adopted a law allowing for the restoration of coal-fired power plants mothballed for climate protection reasons.

Berlin has also intensified the debate about the possibility of extending the use of nuclear power plants against the background of the ongoing gas crisis. The first coal-fired thermal power plant in Germany was taken out of reserve and connected to the grid on August 1.