Uniper SE, a German utility, said that it will produce electricity for the market at Heyden 4’s hard-coal-fired power station. This is in response to a three-day Russian gas supply cut to Europe.
The utility stated in a statement that Heyden 4 will begin producing electricity between Aug. 29 and April 30, 2023.
Uniper stated in a statement that the “envisaged operation at Heyden 4 will not be possible due to restrictions on rail transportation capacity for hard coal to the site. This might get lifted when additional transportation capacity becomes available.”
Uniper announced in December 2020 that Heyden 4 would cease commercial production because Germany’s energy regulator had placed it on the list of plants that could be closed to compensate for carbon pollution.
Heyden 4 has been supporting the electricity system since mid-2021 as a reserve power generator, but it has not produced electricity for the marketplace.
Uniper shares, Germany’s largest importer of Russian natural gas, fell 7.7% to close near a record low, as investors worried about Russia’s tightening supplies.
Gazprom, the energy giant, announced Friday that Russia would stop natural gas supplies to Europe for three consecutive days at the end of the month. This will put pressure on Europe as it tries to refuel before winter.
Russia’s move is likely to cause more disruptions, especially for Germany, which relies heavily on Russian deliveries to power its industry.
