UK Minister Gove Backs Coal Mine Opening to Cut Energy Dependence on Russia, Reports Say

LONDON (Sputnik) - UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove is supporting plans to launch the first coal mine in the United Kingdom in decades, aiming to curtail the dependence on Russian energy supplies, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Sunday, citing sources in the UK Conservative Party.

According to Telegraph, Gove is backing opening a coal mine in Cumbria County in northwestern England. The pit will focus on extracting coking coal widely used in steel production.

Opening the first pit in the UK in over three decades was endorsed by the UK government back in October 2020. Yet the protests by environmental activists forced the ministers to revisit this issue. At the same time, the government sources claimed that in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis, the UK cabinet unilaterally stands for putting the mine into operation, the Telegraph said.

Gove must make an ultimate decision until 7 July, meanwhile, the sources said that the decision could be pronounced earlier in mid-May, the newspaper added.

The UK's dependence on Russian energy is primarily confined to the coal sector. In 2021, the UK imported over 50% of its all coal supplies, with Russia accounting for 43% of those. Moreover, Russia occupies leading position in exporting both steam coal and coking coal to the UK, ensuring 46% and 39% of deliveries, respectively.

After Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine, the UK alongside the United States and European allies said embarking on the path of complete abandoning Russian energy commodities. On 6 April, UK Prime Minister Boris Jonson pledged to halt Russian coal and oil imports by the end of 2022, with UK marginal gas imports to be ceased as soon as possible thereafter.