More German Coal Plants Face Early Closures as Profits Fade
- Steag mulls closing almost half coal units before plan
- Quarter of hard-coal stations seen closing, Nena says
A Steag power plant.
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German coal-fired power plant closures are poised to accelerate as dwindling margins prompt utilities to retire the stations early.
A quarter of hard coal-fired generation capacity in Europe’s largest economy may shut ahead of schedule if plant operators forgo spending on upgrades to keep aging stations open, according to Nena AS, an Oslo-based energy consulting firm. Steag GmbH, the nation’s fifth-biggest power producer, is considering shuttering at least five of its 13 German coal stations before plan, Juergen Froehlich, a spokesman for the utility, said by e-mail.