The continuation of PPC lignite plants for at least until 2028, increasing coal mining by 50%, was announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis from Kozani, in the context of the opening ceremony of the large photovoltaic park 204.3 MW of Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE).

The PM stressed that the country is making adjustments to the energy plan and in this context will increase coal energy production as a temporary measure to reduce dependency on natural gas due to the current situation, without changing the ambitious goals set to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030.

In this context, the new unit of PPC Ptolemaida 5, which will be put into pilot operation in the next period, will extend its coal output production until 2028, from 2025 which was the initial goal. As he pointed out, if necessary, the operation will probably be extended for the units of Ag. Dimitriou and Meliti were scheduled to close in 2023.

The Prime Minister noted that the final decisions will be taken depending on geopolitical developments and the course of fuel prices.

As he underlined, the international economic environment compelled adjustments to all the national strategies of the EU member states, but without reducing the national strategies, which for Greece remains the main goal, the transition to the zero-carbon economy and all the actions of the program for the fair transition that forms the basis of the de- lignification plan.