The government has written to energy companies asking them to delay the closure of UK coal-fired power stations.
The move follows concerns about a possible disruption in Russian gas supplies to Europe due to the war in Ukraine.
The government said it was examining “a wide range of options to further strengthen our energy security and home security”.
The plants are due to close in the autumn as the UK moves towards more sustainable energy production.
Economy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng wrote to EDF, Drax and Uniper this month to ask them to temporarily extend the operation of the coal-fired power plants used for emergency power generation.
The UK gets very little electricity from coal but produces a lot of electricity from gas.
A government spokesman said: “In light of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, it is right that we are considering a wide range of options to further strengthen our energy security and domestic supplies.
“As such, we are considering slightly extending the life of our remaining coal-fired power plants to provide additional back-up power when needed this coming winter.
“It remains our firm commitment to phase out coal power by October 2024.”
The government is “confident that security of electricity supply will be maintained”.
The utilities would receive tens of millions of pounds in subsidies, the Times reported, and these subsidies would be recouped from energy bills.
- War in Ukraine: Russia halts gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria
- Ukraine war: Russia’s gas supply cuts ‘blackmail’, says EU
French energy giant EDF, which has been asked to delay the full closure of its West Burton A plant in Nottinghamshire, said half of the plant began shutting down in the summer of 2021 and the rest “had been available for supply last winter power at peak times”.
“It is planned to start the decommissioning of the last two units in early October 2022 and many processes have already been initiated to achieve this, including reducing the workforce at the site and depleting the coal stock,” it said.
“EDF was recently asked by the UK Government to study what it would take to make West Burton A available next winter and this is still being discussed.”
The three energy companies are in talks with the National Grid Electricity System Operator, which ensures Britain’s electricity supply meets demand, about the level of subsidies that would be needed to maintain that coal-fired capacity.
EDF said the grid operator had to “offer acceptable terms” so that it could invest in the plant, buy coal and bear the operating costs.
“We would be available on a standby arrangement like last winter and would only deliver at peak times,” a spokesman said.
Drax, which mothballed the coal-fired units at its North Yorkshire power station in 2021, said it still expects to close them fully in September 2022, “but remains committed to supporting security of supply in the UK”.
It said whether it would delay the closure “is still under review” and it will “carefully review” options.
Uniper, one of Germany’s largest energy companies, said the government had asked it to study the possibility of keeping its unit at Ratcliffe power station, which is due to close in September 2022, open longer.
On Wednesday, Russia halted gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria after they refused to pay for supplies in rubles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered “unfriendly” countries to pay for gas in rubles as part of an effort to prop up the currency following Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.
The EU called the decision to stop Polish and Bulgarian deliveries “an instrument of blackmail”.
Add Comment