Germany Needs More Coal-Plant Shutdowns as RWE Accelerates Halts
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Utilities in Germany need to shut 7 gigawatts of coal-fed power plants by 2016 in addition to closings already announced to rebalance supply and demand, according to researcher Pira Energy Group.
RWE AG said Aug. 12 it will halt an extra 1,005 megawatts of coal and lignite capacity by the first quarter of 2017, taking the total planned capacity cuts to 8,940 megawatts. Old lignite plants are candidates for closing, according to New York-based Pira, whose clients include oil companies, utilities and governments. A thousand megawatts is enough to power 2 million European homes.