January 14 (SeeNews) - Slovenia's government adopted a national strategy to stop using coal for electricity production by 2033, it said.
The strategy envisages the closure of the Velenje coal mine, as well as a comprehensive social and economic restructuring of the Zasavje and Savinjska-Saleska regions, the government said in a statement on Thursday.
Under the strategy, the 884 MW Sostanj coal-fired power plant TES and the 123 MW Ljubljana coal-fired heat and power station which delivers 90% of the remotely generated heat in Slovenia's capital, will be closed by 2033.
Zasavje and Savinjska-Saleska regions will have access to 248.4 million euro ($284.5 million) in financing from the Fair Transition Fund by 2027 to cushion the social impact of the coal phase-out, the government said.
In September, infrastructure minister Jernej Vrtovec said the government has prepared a strategy to provide 5,000 jobs for people employed in coal-fired power plants and the Velenje coal mine.
($ = 0.8732 euro)