AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands: Amid Europe’s response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent decline in Russian gas supplies, Germany, Italy, Austria and the Netherlands have suggested that coal – fired power plants could help see the continent through the crisis, which has caused gas prices to rise and further intensified increases in inflation.
This week, the Dutch government said it will activate the first phase of an energy crisis plan, which includes removing a production ceiling at the country’s coal-fired energy plant.
Due to the uncertainty about Russian supplies, Denmark has also adopted the first step in an emergency gas plan, while Italy was approaching a state of emergency in energy, after the oil company Eni said that Russia’s Gazprom said it would receive only part of its allocated gas supply.
Germany said it could restart coal-fired power plants aimed at phasing out, and announced its latest plan to increase gas storage levels.
“It’s painful, but it’s a pure necessity in this situation to reduce gas consumption. But if we do not, we run the risk that stocks will not be full enough by the end of the year towards the winter season,” said German Economy Minister Robert Habeck.
Also this week, the Austrian government agreed with the company Verbund to convert a gas-fired power plant to coal if the country were to face an energy emergency.
Last week, citing the delayed return of equipment serviced by Germany’s Siemens Energy in Canada, Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom cut capacity along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
“We have gas, it is ready to be delivered, but Europeans must return the equipment, which should be repaired according to their obligations,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
German and Italian officials have said that Russia used this as an excuse to reduce supplies.
At the same time, Russia once again accused Europe of the energy crisis, after the West imposed sanctions in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Source: sn.dk