Austria prepares to reopen coal power plants

At the Mellach coal power plant in southern Austria, spider webs have taken over the conveyor belts, and plants and flowers have sprung up around the vast lot that once stored coal.

The plant, Austria's last coal-fuelled power station, was closed in the spring of 2020, but now the government -- nervous that Russia may cut its crucial gas deliveries further -- has decided to get the site ready again in case it's needed.

"I never would have imagined that we would restart the factory," Peter Probst, a 55-year-old welder, told AFP during a visit of the plant.

"It's really sad to be so dependent on gas," he added. Europe had been trying to move away from coal in the fight against climate change.

But as Russia has cut gas deliveries in the wake of sanctions the West has imposed on it for the war in Ukraine, European countries are turning back to coal.

As Russia has cut gas deliveries in the wake of sanctions the West has imposed on it, European countries are turning back to coal

Today, the Mellach plant's white and red chimney stands out amid fields of corn and pumpkins, the city of Graz in the distance. Inside, the walls are black, and coal dust clings to the doors and railings.

Some 450,000 tonnes of coal were stored at the plant before its closure as Austria's conservative-Greens coalition aimed to have all electricity come from renewable resources by 2030.

Site manager Christof Kurzmann-Friedl says the plant operated by supplier Verbund can be ready again in  "about four months" -- just in time to help tackle any gas shortages in winter.