A new coal-fired power plant, Datteln 4, is recently brought online in Germany.

The Finnish company Fortum, which recently acquired a majority share in Uniper, said, “We understand people’s concerns, and we agree that coal must be phased out, and emissions must be reduced. However, the transition to a low-emission society must be made without compromising the security of supply or an affordable cost of energy, in a socially just manner.

“This has been the starting point for the comprehensive solution of the German government, which allows the commissioning of Datteln 4 and systematic phasing out of coal by 2038.”