-- The European Commission said Thursday it cleared about 497 million euros ($585 million) in Dutch coal plant compensation, ruling it does not qualify as State aid.
The decision covers 331.8 million euros for RWE Eemshaven and 165.3 million euros for Uniper Benelux, linked to losses from a temporary carbon emissions cap imposed by the Netherlands, the Commission said.
The Dutch government introduced the cap in 2019, following a court mandate, to cut emissions, alongside a broader plan to phase out coal-fired power generation by Jan. 1, 2030.
The emissions limit applied from January 2022 but was lifted in June that year after energy market disruptions tied to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Commission said.
Operators were eligible to seek compensation for losses between Jan. 1 and June 20, 2022, with payments approved for RWE's Eemshavencentrale and Uniper's MPP3 plants, pending EU clearance.
The Commission found the cap interfered with property rights, meaning firms were legally entitled to compensation, and added that payouts were based on independent expert assessments.
The Commission concluded that the payments did not confer any undue advantage, as they reflected market conditions, and that the measure does not qualify as State aid under European Union rules.