In Germany, electricity producer Steag GmbH has stopped the operation of the Bergkamen-A power plant due to the fact that it has run out of coal. This is reported by Bloomberg agency
The publication’s experts note that the closure of the western German power plant is the first sign that “Europe may have to rely on mild and windy weather to keep the lights on as the continent faces a shortage of natural gas and coal is unlikely to come to the rescue.”
“We face two obstacles. Firstly, there is now a high demand for coal itself and secondly, there is a high demand for transport by barge. And since there are no rail connections in Bergkamen (a city in Germany), there are no logistical alternatives”, – said Daniel Muehlenfeld, a company spokesman.
European energy producers have been forced to switch to coal because of the acute shortage of natural gas. Low coal reserves have forced deals on the spot market to ensure the fastest possible supply. It is noted that the price of supply contracts in November broke a 13-year record at $225 per tonne.