The Netherlands today announced the lifting of restrictions on coal-fired power generation to offset a drop in gas supplies from Russia, a day after a similar measure was taken by neighboring Germany.
“The cabinet has decided to immediately lift production restrictions on coal-fired power plants from 2022 to 2024,” Energy and Environment Minister Rob Geten told a news conference.
“This means that coal-fired power plants can be re-operated at full capacity instead of the maximum of 35%,” he added.
The Dutch decision comes a day after Germany decided to use more coal to offset cuts in Russian gas supplies.
Russian gas giant Gazprom announced in May the suspension of deliveries to Dutch supplier GasTerra, which is partly owned by the Dutch state, after the company refused to pay in rubles.
“I must emphasize that there is an acute shortage of gas at the moment in the Netherlands,” he said. “However, most countries are now under pressure (from Russia),” he explained. “This worries us. Because of these concerns, I am announcing today a Level 1 gas crisis: early warning,” he added.
Although the highest level is level 3, he explained, “at the moment the risk of doing nothing is very high.”
The Dutch minister said his country had “prepared this decision with its European counterparts in recent days”.
The Dutch coal-fired power plants could not operate at more than 35% of their maximum capacity since January to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.
Source: Capital
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