A coal plant operator in Germany has warned that it’s unprofitable to put power stations on standby to help keep the lights on for the next few years, as requested by the nation’s regulator.
Steag GmbH has been asked to keep five coal plants with 2.5 gigawatts of capacity online until end of March 2031 to safeguard the power system in Europe’s biggest economy. The company lodged a complaint against the order, it said Thursday, citing the significant costs associated with such a move at a time when energy companies are supposed to be investing in cleaner fuel sources.
