# Power Grid: The New Power Plants – Set 1 ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2007 - **BGG Rating**: 7.8 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-6 (Best with: 5) - **Duration**: 120 min - **Weight**: 2.99 / 5 - **Designers**: Friedemann Friese - **Artists**: Lars-Arne "Maura" Kalusky - **Publishers**: 2F-Spiele, Edge Entertainment, Lacerta, Rio Grande Games, Stratelibri, Swan Panasia Co., Ltd. - **Categories**: Economic, Expansion for Base-game, Industry / Manufacturing - **Mechanics**: Auction / Bidding, Network and Route Building ## Verdict If you already love Power Grid and want more variety, this green‑border plant deck is the ticket.Wide combo optionsExtends game lengthEasy to spot cardsNo rule changesNeeds base deckRECOMMENDED ## Description Power Grid: The New Power Plants – Set 1 provides a full deck of plant cards that can be employed in three different ways, expanding the classic game's possibilities. You may replace the original deck entirely, shuffle both decks together for an unpredictable mix, or add the new cards to the standard deck, extending the game until 20 cities are powered. The cards feature green borders for easy identification and to prevent mix‑ups during setup. Each plant lists its resource cost, output, and market value, preserving the auction/bidding mechanic that lies at Power Grid's core. Since the base game already includes network and route building, the new plants slot seamlessly into existing strategies, whether you aim for high‑efficiency plants or a diversified resource portfolio to ensure stable supply. The expansion does not change the core rules, but official variant rules—available in the BGG files section—guide usage across all released maps. The main component is a set of 33 high‑quality plant cards with updated artwork and clear information. Announced in April 2007 and released at Essen 2007, the set was reissued in Brazil in June 2023 by Asmodee (Galápagos). It’s perfect for players who have mastered the base game and want to vary pacing, lengthen sessions, or simply try unexpected plant combinations. If you love the thrill of auctions, network strategy, and want more content without added complexity, this deck is a solid upgrade. ## How to Play Game Objective The objective of the game is to build a network of power plants and supply energy to cities. The basic rules of Funkenschlag (Power Grid) remain the same, and this guide focuses on the differences and specialties of the new power plants. The victory condition is based on who can power the most cities, according to the original rules of Funkenschlag. Preparation (Setup) Game preparation follows the normal rules of Funkenschlag, with some modifications depending on the chosen variant: Standard Preparation (with New Power Plant Cards - Set 1) Initially, power plants 1-8 form the market. Power plant 11 and the Level 3 (Stufe 3) card are set aside. The remaining power plants are shuffled to form the face-down draw pile. Power plant 11 is placed on top of the draw pile. The Level 3 (Stufe 3) card is placed at the bottom of the draw pile. If using the France map, power plant 11 is simply removed from the game. Variant 1 - New Power Plant Cards From the old deck, cards 17, 18, and the Level 3 (Stufe 3) card are removed. For game setup, cards 1-8 from both decks (a total of 14 cards) are separated and shuffled. The power plants are revealed one by one. The first power plant of each value is eliminated and placed next to the board for everyone to see (it is a “fake”). The second power plant revealed of each value will make up the market (these are the “originals”). Power plants 1 and 2 are not discarded as “fakes”. Variant 2 - Both Power Plant Decks The Level 3 (Stufe 3) card is separated before the remaining power plants are shuffled to form the face-down draw pile. The Level 3 (Stufe 3) card is placed at the bottom of the draw pile. Throughout the game, the first power plant of each value is removed from the game as a “fake” and placed next to the board. Depending on the number of players, a certain number of power plants need to be removed from the game. To do this, the first “original” (duplicate) power plants, which do not form the initial market, are removed and also placed next to the board. Variant 3 - Funkenschlag+ The power plants from the base game and power plants 46, 50, 52, 54, 57, and 60 from this expansion are required. The draw pile and the initial market are prepared according to the usual rules. Power plants 46 and 50 are duplicated. New power plants marked with a "+" are always classified as larger and placed immediately after the others. Larger Power Plant Deck (Variant 3) In this variant, no region of the board is removed. The number of cities and power plants is adjusted according to the table: 2 Players: 24 Cities (total), 12 Cities (Level 2), 24 Cities (End Game), 10 fewer Power Plants (Start). 3 Players: 24 Cities (total), 8 Cities (Level 2), 20 Cities (End Game), 10 fewer Power Plants (Start). 4 Players: 32 Cities (total), 8 Cities (Level 2), 20 Cities (End Game), 5 fewer Power Plants (Start). 5 Players: 40 Cities (total), 8 Cities (Level 2), 18 Cities (End Game), 0 fewer Power Plants (Start). 6 Players: 42 Cities (total), 7 Cities (Level 2), 15 Cities (End Game), 0 fewer Power Plants (Start). Game Flow The normal rules of Funkenschlag still apply to the game flow. This guide focuses on the specifics of the new power plants and variants. Refer to the manual for details on this section. Actions and How to Play Actions and how to play follow the normal rules of Funkenschlag. The new power plant cards introduce more options and strategies, but the basic actions (buying power plants, buying resources, building cities, powering cities) remain the same. Refer to the manual for details on this section. Discarding Power Plants When, during the game, power plants are discarded (because they are too small or because a player bought a fourth power plant), they should also go to the “fake” power plants area (Variant 2). Variant 4 - Individual Power Plant Deck Players can build a custom deck by choosing, for example, always one of the two power plants with the same value. It is also possible to decrease or increase the number of power plants. If power plants of the same value are chosen, a rule must be defined as to which is the most valuable. End of Game and Scoring The end of the game and scoring follow the normal rules of Funkenschlag. The Cities (End Game) table in the "Larger Power Plant Deck" variant indicates the number of cities that trigger the end of the game for each number of players. The player who powers the most cities at the end of the game is the winner. Refer to the manual for details on this section. Tips for Winning Know the "Fakes": In Variant 2, the first power plant of each value is removed from the game as a “fake”. Pay attention to which “originals” may still appear in the game, as this can influence your purchasing decisions. Adapt to the Custom Deck: If playing with Variant 4 (Individual Power Plant Deck), the choice of power plants will make a big difference. Understand how changes in the deck affect resource availability and power plant strength to plan your strategy. ## FAQ ### How many players can use this set? It works with 2 to 6 players, just like the base game. ### How long does a game last with the new cards? It varies; adding them to the original deck can push playtime to 120 minutes or more. ### Do I need any other components besides the original deck? Yes, you still need the base Power Grid deck; this set only adds plant cards. ### Do the new cards increase the game's complexity? No, the complexity stays the same, but strategic variety goes up. ### Are there special rules for using the cards? Official variant rules are in the BGG Files section and explain how to integrate the cards on all maps. ### How are the new cards different from the originals? They have green borders for easy identification and feature new power plants not found in the classic deck. ### Can I use only some of the cards from the set? Absolutely, you can pick and choose which plants to include to craft a custom deck. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 6.13 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3202700&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 6.59 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1287386&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 6.65 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=5812108&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 6.65 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3919416&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 7.01 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1660378&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 7.71 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2088889&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 7.71 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3500917&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 7.77 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=5817723&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 8.39 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=5947958&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 8.45 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=151431&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/221/power-grid-the-new-power-plant-cards?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com