Germany, Austria, And Netherlands Drawing Up Emergency Plans To Switch Back To Coal

In this file photo, steam and smoke rise from a coal burning power plant in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Dec. 16, 2009 (AP Photo)  

Business Insider: Europe is drawing up emergency plans to switch back to coal after Russia cuts natural-gas supplies 

* The Netherlands and Denmark triggered emergency energy plans on Monday. 

* Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Austria signaled a shift to coal as an emergency fuel. 

European countries have triggered emergency plans that could lead to rationing of natural gas and signaled a shift back to coal-fired power as the continent's largest buyers of Russian fuel seek to secure their energy supplies. 

Russian state gas giant Gazprom cut natural-gas supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany — which also goes to the rest of Europe — by more than half since last week, citing an equipment hold-up in Canada as a result of sanctions over the Ukraine war. 

German economy minister Robert Habeck and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said last week Gazprom's move was politically motivated, but Moscow insists it's technical. "We have gas, it is ready to be delivered, but the Europeans must give back the equipment, which should be repaired under their obligations," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday, Reuters reported.  

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Update #1: Russia’s chokehold over gas could send Europe back to coal (Washington Post)  

Update #2: Russia is squeezing Europe’s gas supplies, sparking a bitter and reluctant return to coal (CNBC)  

WNU Editor: More evidence that the EU's sanctions against Russia are backfiring.