Potsdam in turmoil: heat turnaround, clinic reform and heated debates!

Potsdam in turmoil: heat turnaround, clinic reform and heated debates!

Potsdam, Deutschland - Today, on July 2, 2025, important decisions and debates are on the agenda of the city council (SVV) in Potsdam. In the tenth session, which takes place on Wednesday, the focus will be on the heat turnaround.

As part of the meeting, an urgent request for saving the data center is dealt with. In addition, millions of euros are to be approved for the implementation of climate -friendly heat supply. Another important point is the reorganization of the municipal clinic "Ernst von Bergmann", in which five subsidiaries are to be merged with the parent company.

disputes and demonstrations

A certain potential for conflicting contains the discussion about the city's grants to the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation, especially with regard to the entrance fee for Park Sanssouci. The city justifies the demolition of the previous model with inadequate funds to maintain its own green areas.

The way to climate neutrality

These discussions are the framework for current efforts in Potsdam to promote the heat turnaround. Stadtwerke Potsdam (SWP), Energie und Wasser Potsdam GmbH (EWP), as well as various heat-turn-in initiatives and whether Mike Schubert came together for an exchange to discuss the acceleration of climate-friendly heat supply. The aim of these discussions is to replace the Südhezkraftwerk Süd by 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality, as reports Potsdam.de.

A total of four projects, including three deep geothermal drilling and a clear water pump, have already started running. The EWP supervisory board has released the funds required for this of around 180 million euros between 2025 and 2028. Funding of the federal government are also available for the first projects that are crucial for the implementation.

Financing the heat transition

The SWP must bring in its own funds of around 45 million euros, while E.DIS AG has to provide around 25 million euros. The EWP also plans to apply for bank loans and requires an equity share of around 20 percent, which corresponds to around 28 million euros. Such acts of cooperation show how synergies can be used in the municipal heat transition in order to effectively make progress. In this context, one also analyzes how digital technologies such as the climate protection cockpit provide valuable data that is necessary for sound decisions about the heat and energy transition, such as pwc highlighted.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the political discussion and the demonstrations will affect the progress of the heat transition in Potsdam. The future of heat supply could also have a major impact on the everyday life of the citizens.