News > As UK activates coal reserve, how long can Germany beat Putin’s energy squeeze?

As UK activates coal reserve, how long can Germany beat Putin’s energy squeeze?

Germany looks set to survive this winter without the Russian gas it used to depend on. The question now is whether it can plug the gap in coming winters and at what price. The UK’s grid operator asked three coal-fired power units to be ready to generate as it boosts electricity supplies during the current cold snap. It’s the first time this winter National Grid Plc has needed to call on the reserve. Demand is set to surge during a spell of freezing weather even as wind speeds drop, curbing supply.