German Finance minister welcomes proposal of shutting coal plants by 2038

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz on Saturday welcomed the proposal of a government-appointed commission to shut down all coal-fired power plants in Germany by 2038 at the latest, saying the compromise would help Germany revamp its energy plans. Scholz told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung it was important to maintain stable and affordable electricity prices, while working to create promising new jobs in coal-producing regions. "If we all work hard and don't lose sight of the joint goal, then we can further develop Germany into a role model in energy politics," he told the newspaper.