After a long-planned overhaul at the PCK refinery in Schwedt, Brandenburg, in the spring, the Federal Ministry of Economics is hoping for higher capacity utilization. According to his own words, State Secretary Michael Kellner sees no imminent supply gap.

"The goal must be that when the revision is completed towards the summer (...) the owners have the highest possible occupancy rate in Schwedt," said the Green politician on Monday after a special meeting of a PCK working group in Potsdam.

That is also in the hands of the owners, Kellner added. The federal government will continue to support talks so that the corresponding oil quantities do not only come via Rostock. After the embargo on Russian oil, the raw material also flows from Gdańsk. In addition, quantities are to come from Kazakhstan. Revisions take place again and again without there being any difficulties in supply, said Kellner.

Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke was skeptical overall. "If I were satisfied, I would not have invited the task force to a special meeting," said the SPD politician. There are a number of reasons why the refinery's utilization rate is 58 to 59 percent. "However, more could be obtained at the moment," said Woidke, with a view to the fact that some possible oil deliveries via Gdansk are not being used by PCK due to the planned revision.

Kellner did not comment on a "Handelsblatt" report, according to which the oil company Hoyer from Lower Saxony is also said to be interested in joining PCK. The Federal Ministry of Economics wants to expand the possibilities for selling energy companies in trust management, such as with PCK. Kellner said he hopes the law will be in place by May.

The refinery is important for supplying Berlin and Brandenburg with fuel. The federal government had placed two subsidiaries of the Russian oil company Rosneft under state control.