The Tesla Gigafactory in Grünheide, Brandenburg, is about to enter the next phase of its expansion. But before the construction of new facilities such as a freight yard can begin, unexpected challenges had to be overcome first. Since June 2024, an intensive search for explosive ordnance from the Second World War has been carried out, during which more than 1,500 dangerous finds were recovered.
Explosive ordnance found on historic ground
The wooded area around the Tesla-plant was heavily bombed during the Second World War and is therefore considered a "suspected explosive ordnance area". Specialist companies, commissioned by the state forestry department, have been combing through a total of 86 hectares of the site for months and discovered a large number of ammunition and weapon remains. These included handgun ammunition, grenades, melee weapons and even two 250-kilogram unexploded bombs of British origin. These had to be detonated on site to ensure safety.
A total of 1,578 munitions were discovered and, once recovered, were immediately removed and destroyed on a weekly basis. The search is almost complete, but the last few hectares still need to be searched for potential sources of danger, which requires additional work due to old garbage being buried.
Tesla Plans to expand the Gigafactory
The planned expansion of the Tesla Gigafactory in Grünheide includes the construction of a freight station and a new service and logistics center in the Freienbrink Nord area. However, the corresponding forest area still needs to be acquired from the state of Brandenburg for this expansion. Talks are currently underway between the Ministry of the Environment and Tesla on the purchase of the area, which is owned by the state.
As soon as an expert opinion determines the value of the area, the purchase price will be negotiated. However, the final decision on the sale must also be approved by the Finance Committee of the Brandenburg State Parliament. If the purchase is successfully completed, the next step in Tesla's expansion could take place.
Protests and resistance to the Tesla-expansion
Despite the economic advantages that the Tesla Gigafactory has brought to the region, there is also resistance to the planned expansion. As early as February 2024, activists set up a protest camp with tree houses in the forest near the plant to protest against the clearing of further forest areas. They had to leave their camp temporarily due to the discovery of explosive ordnance.
The citizens of Grünheide had spoken out against the expansion plans in a referendum, but after the plan was adjusted to reduce the amount of forest cleared, the municipal representatives approved the expansion in May 2024. Nevertheless, opposition remains, particularly from environmental groups who criticize the loss of forest areas.
The future of the Gigafactory in Grünheide
Despite the obstacles - both in the form of legacy issues from the war and the ongoing protest - the future of the Tesla sees the expansion of the Gigafactory as an important measure to further increase its production capacities in Europe. With the expansion of the plant and the planned infrastructure such as the freight station, Grünheide is set to become an even more important production site for the car manufacturer.
The discovery and safe removal of more than 1,500 explosive ordnance items is a necessary step to ensure the safety of the plant and the surrounding areas. As soon as the final hurdles have been cleared Tesla could reach another important milestone in its growth strategy in Europe.
Keywords: Tesla Grünheide, Tesla Gigafactory, explosive ordnance finds, Tesla plant expansion, freight station Tesla, Environmental protection Grünheide, forest clearing Tesla, Tesla Brandenburg, Protest Tesla Expansion, Tesla Environmental activists
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