Andrea Nahles, the leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) on Tuesday said that the government commission on phasing out coal should not set a date prematurely for the end of coal-fired power generation in Germany.
At the Day of German Industry in Berlin, Nahles said a coal exit date is impossible without security of supply, competitive electricity prices and future perspectives for the affected regions. These priorities must be adhered to by the Commission. Climate protection and the interests of industry and workers need to be reconciled. The Commission to phase out coal-fired power generation is to draw up a strategy for phase-out of coal-fired power generation by the end of 2018 and identify ways for structural change in the affected regions.