German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says that if the energy crisis sparked by the Middle East war drags on and causes shortages, Berlin might have to keep running coal-fired power plants longer than planned, AFP reports.
“If the energy crisis continues and a shortage actually occurs, we may even have to keep existing coal-fired power plants online for longer,” he said. “We have to supply this country with electricity. I am not prepared to jeopardise the core of our industry just because we have decided on phase-out plans that have become unrealistic.”
