Gas-Fired Generation in Dire Straits as Utilities Close More Plants

摘要

More gas-fired power plants are set to close across Europe in the face of growing use of renewables, low wholesale electricity prices, weak carbon prices and relatively cheap coal. That was the stark message from some of the continent's largest utilities in first-quarter results briefings last week, with Germany's E.On, Denmark's Dong Energy and Norway's Statkraft all saying they either closed unprofitable gas-fired units in the first three months of 2013 or shelved plans to build more. That continues the trend seen in 2012, when utilities announced a slew of shutdowns as European gas demand, particularly for power generation, dropped to levels last seen in 1999 (WGI Feb. 13'13).