The future of Vatenfall’s coal mining operations in Germany have been thrown into doubt after politicians from the country’s eight major political parties appeared to back a ban during a recent election debate.
According to a report from the Guardian, the party leaders were asked if they would “ban Vattenfall from expanding coal power in Germany” – to which each responded positively by raising a green card.
Vatenfall is owned by the Swedish government and would be bound by any government instructions to stop its coal mining operations in eastern Germany, where it extracts lignite to fuel its coal-fired power plants in the country.
The power company has also applied for permission to expand its mining operations in Germany with the Brandenburg state government approving one such plan in early June.
According to its website, Vatenfall is the third largest electricity producer in Germany, generating 90% of its power from fossil fuels – mostly lignite from its own mines. The company’s involvement in the country goes back to 1998 when it acquired assets in the former East Germany from RWE and E.ON following the deregulation of Germany’s electricity market.
Written by Jonathan Rowland