The Shutdown Ordinance is an important measure for stabilising the electricity grid, particularly in view of the increasing feed-in of electricity from renewable energy sources. It regulates the controlled shutdown of power generation plants when the grid reaches its capacity limits. This usually occurs in situations in which the supply of electricity significantly exceeds demand, for example on particularly windy or sunny days. The aim of this regulation is to avoid grid bottlenecks that can arise due to overproduction of electricity and to ensure security of supply.

The background to the shutdown ordinance lies in the volatile feed-in of wind and solar energy, which does not always correspond to the current electricity demand. If grid capacities are exhausted, the grid operators can temporarily disconnect certain plants that feed electricity into the grid on the basis of the ordinance. This regulation primarily affects large wind farms, solar plants or other renewable energy producers that are connected to the high-voltage grid.

Although the shutdown is necessary in these cases, it poses a challenge for operators as it can result in financial losses. To mitigate this effect, the Shutdown Ordinance provides for compensation mechanisms that offer operators remuneration for the electricity not fed into the grid. In this way, a balance is struck between the stability of the electricity grid and the economic interests of producers.

The Shutdown Ordinance makes a significant contribution to keeping the electricity grid stable despite the increasing proportion of volatile energy sources. At the same time, it demonstrates the need to expand the grid and create flexible storage technologies in order to optimise the feed-in of renewable energy in the long term.