Necessary Roughness

Reuters reports that one of Italy’s electricity producers is shifting its power plant from oil to coal. The move is sparking protests, even though Enel has promised to use clean coal technologies.

Enel, like many electricity companies, says it has little choice but to build coal plants to replace aging infrastructure, particularly in countries like Italy, which prohibit nuclear power. Fuel costs have risen 151 percent since 1996, and Italians pay the highest electricity costs in Europe.

Italy shot itself in the foot when they banned nuclear power. Now that oil is over $110 with no apparent break in demand or supply soon, coal is the cheapest alternative. If the World Wildlife Fund and other organizations don’t want coal power to grow, they need to lobby their government to lift the nuclear ban.