Germany plans to use coal-fired power plants that were due to be closed as part of a plan to ensure security of power supply in case Russia cuts supply of natural gas. This would enable an extra 8.5 GW of power to be made available.
The proposal, which has to go through Parliament, would remain in place until 2024, when the country should have found other options.
Natural gas – mostly from Russia – accounted for 15 per cent of Germany’s electricity generation in 2021.