Denmark postpones closure of three power plants due to energy crisis

Denmark’s Ministry of Climate and Energy announced Saturday its intention to postpone the definitive closure of three power plants until the summer of 2024, due to the energy crisis on the continent.

“Cold days where (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has cut gas supplies and where the wind is not blowing may lead to a lack of electricity in Denmark for the next two winters. To ensure the security of Danish supply, the government will temporarily postpone the shutdown of parts of three Danish power plants,” the ministerial portfolio explains in a statement.

With this measure, Denmark seeks to “ensure the security of security of electricity supply” in the country during the next two winters, when it expects power outages, “especially at peak times, such as cold winter days without wind.”

“This is where the activation of the coal and oil units at the three plants can come into play and contribute to the Danes having electricity,” the missive states. Of these plants, two are on the Jutland peninsula and one on the island of Zealand, where the country’s capital, Copenhagen, is located.

However, the Scandinavian country has stressed that the aforementioned plants will not be put into operation in the event that there are cheaper and greener alternatives on the market.

“It is important to emphasize that the decision does not affect the fulfillment of our ambitious Danish climate targets, as it is a temporary measure,” said Climate and Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen.

The government has broad support for making this decision, according to the press release issued by the ministry.