France restarts coal-fired power plant

France decided to restart a coal-fired power plant in Saint-Avold in the north-east of the country at the weekend, in light of the current energy crisis and the suspension of many nuclear power plants.

The Emile Hochette plant was disconnected from the grid at the end of March, but the French Energy Ministry has now decided to restart the plant to produce energy, but its work will continue initially until the end of 2023.

And 70 employees who had been laid off agreed to return to their jobs with a pay rise. Besides Émile Hoechette, the Cordemes plant in western France is the only other coal-fired power plant in the country.