Severočeské doly may mine at Bílina in Czechia until 2035; Greenpeace to appeal

Severočeské doly has been granted permission by the District Mining Authority in Most to extend mining at the Bílina mine in the Teplice District until 2035, five years longer than currently permitted. The decision is not yet final, and Greenpeace will appeal. Lukáš Hrábek of Greenpeace told the Czech News Agency (ČTK) today. The mining authority published the permit on the official noticeboard. Severočeské doly will not comment on the decision because it is not yet final, company spokesperson Lukáš Kopecký told ČTK.

Mining is currently taking place within the valid limits. Early last year, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the government said it wanted to create conditions for phasing out coal by 2033. The ČEZ Group, which controls Severočeské doly, has committed to producing just 12.5 percent of its electricity from coal in 2030.

„The non-final decision to extend the mining permit at the Bílina mine until 2035 is unacceptable to us, and we want to appeal it. It is shameful that the government, which set out in its policy statement to create conditions for phasing out coal by 2033, has done nothing to oppose steps that would allow mining at Bílina to continue,“ said Jaroslav Bican of Greenpeace.