"Quietly and covertly extended" lawsuits intensify LNG terminal disagreement
The LNG terminal on Rügen, operated by Deutsche Regas, is currently embroiled in a legal and environmental dispute. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has raised concerns over the terminal's continued operation without landstrom (shore power) supply, a requirement for reducing air pollutant and noise emissions.
According to DUH, Deutsche Regas was only permitted to operate with landstrom starting in 2025. However, the company has been operating without land-based power supply since the beginning of the year, contrary to the original plan. The DUH claims that crucial emission and noise measurement data, required during the transitional period that expired at the end of July, have not been presented by Deutsche Regas.
The Schwerin Ministry of the Environment has extended the operation of the LNG terminal until December 31, 2025, citing an ongoing amendment permit procedure. The DUH, however, has questioned whether the necessary documentation has been provided, as there has been no response from the responsible authority.
Residents in the Mukran region continue to complain about noise from the LNG terminal, with Claudia Wollmuth, a local resident, reporting "massive and persistent noise in the region" believed to be caused by a defective compressor. The status of the defective compressor remains unclear.
Deutsche Regas has stated that operating the terminal's ship's own generators with SCR technology is beneficial to the environment. The company is also retrofitting the terminal with SCR catalysts and noise protection measures. A hearing of the operator has already taken place regarding the demand for disclosure of generator measurement data.
A decision on the publication of generator measurement data will be made after the legal review is completed. At this time, a shutdown of the LNG terminal does not seem necessary. The terminal continues to handle record LNG import volumes.
The ongoing amendment permit procedure is due to Deutsche Regas' application for the operation of the LNG terminal without combined heat and power (CHP). The DUH's federal director, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, has expressed concerns about secrecy surrounding measurement data and a quietly extended operating license.
The DUH has announced a potential legal dispute, urging Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Environment Minister Till Backhaus to either make the evidence public or impose a shutdown of the terminal if the proofs are missing. The environmental group emphasizes the necessity for full assessment and mitigation of environmental and human health impacts before continuing operation.
[1] Deutsche Welle, "German environmental group calls for LNG terminal shutdown over noise pollution," August 10, 2025. [3] Reuters, "Rügen LNG terminal handles record LNG imports despite ongoing dispute," August 15, 2025.
- The dispute over the LNG terminal on Rügen, operated by Deutsche Regas, includes concerns about the terminal's compliance with environmental regulations, such as the requirement for landstrom (shore power) supply, a critical step in reducing air pollutant and noise emissions, which Deutsche Regas was only permitted to implement in 2025.
- In the environmental sector, Deutsche Regas' decision to operate the LNG terminal without a land-based power supply since the beginning of the year has drawn criticism, as crucial emission and noise measurement data during the transitional period that ended in July have not been presented, as required.
- The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has urged Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Environment Minister Till Backhaus to take action, whether it be making the evidence regarding the terminal's environmental impact public or imposing a shutdown if proofs are missing, emphasizing the importance of assessing and mitigating environmental and human health impacts before further operation.
