Under the plan, 2.7GW (13% of the country's lignite-fired plants) will gradually be transferred into a capacity reserve from next year and then be shuttered after four years. The utilities will receive compensation of €1.6bn ($1.76bn).
"This solution will enable our lignite-fired power plants to make a major contribution to the additional CO2-reduction of 12.5 million tons," says Peter Terium, chief executive of RWE, which will close 1.5GW
