The expansion of Tesla Giga Berlin is possible as early as mid-2024. On Friday, the municipality of Grünheide informed residents that they would be able to take part in a vote to approve the company’s plan.
Grünheide mayor Arne Christiani told RBB on Friday that everyone over 16 years of age living in Grünheide has the right to vote on the matter. Each eligible resident will receive a letter from the authority and then have the opportunity to vote for or against the planned expansion of the Tesla Giga Berlin until noon on February 16. Votes will be counted by February 20, after which the results will be announced.
It is worth keeping in mind that results are not binding in the process. However, they will serve as an important basis for the City Council in its upcoming approval decision. So there is no minimum requirement for participation, but if there is adequate participation, the survey can be considered representative, Cristiani said. He believes that “a majority of the local council will then support the vote.” Crisitiani cites the supra-regional importance of the Tesla project as the reason for voting. By voting, residents will be able to participate on a large scale.
Tesla aims to begin the expansion of Giga Berlin in the first half of 2024. With a public vote scheduled for mid-February, approval is not expected until early spring. However, the manufacturer will still have enough time to begin expansion within the planned timeframe.
As part of the expansion, the existing workshops of Giga Berlin will first be modernized. The company also wants to build a water recycling plant. Plans for the coming years include a second production facility, which will increase production from the current planned 500,000 units per year to 1 million units per year, and a battery recycling plant. In addition, the Fangschleuse train station will be moved closer to the factory.
Although the Grünheide municipal council voted to develop a new development plan for Giga Berlin about a year ago, a decision on the construction plan itself has not yet been made.
