Claims

Promise · Their own work or organisation

“We have decided to stop using coal altogether at our power plants from 2023.”

Henrik Poulsen, CEO · 2017 · DONG Energy Annual report 2016 Summary (DONG Energy)

DONG Energy will stop using coal altogether at its power plants from 2023.

Resolved false The record shows it did not happen or was not so.

Said for an organisation they lead or work for; it counts on both records.

What would count as true or false

Test: had Ørsted stopped using coal altogether at all its power plants by the start of 2023, with no coal use in 2023? The reason for any coal use, including government orders, does not change the test. True: records show no coal was used at any Ørsted power plant from 1 January 2023. Mostly true: coal use ended on time, with a negligible residual detail, such as only start-up or test amounts being reported. Mostly false: coal was still used during 2023 but the phase-out was completed during 2023 or 2024. False: coal continued in material use at Ørsted plants through 2023 or beyond, or the phase-out was postponed indefinitely.

Evidence

1. Interim ESG performance report - First nine months 2022 Ørsted · 2022 Own record

   “Due to the ongoing energy crisis in Europe and to ensure the security of the electricity supply in Denmark, the Danish authorities have ordered Ørsted to continue and resume operations of three of our power station units which use oil and coal as fuel.”

2. Interim ESG performance report - First nine months 2022 Ørsted · 2022 Own record

   “We have set a new target to phase out coal by 2025. This replaces our former target which was to stop using coal by Q2 2023. Postponing the phase out of coal has happened due to the decision by the Danish authorities to order Ørsted to continue and resume our operations of three of our power station units which use coal and oil as fuel until 30 June 2024.”

3. Interim ESG performance report - First nine months 2023 Ørsted · 2023 Own record

   “the fire in the wood pellet silo at Studstrup Power Station (unit 3) last year in autumn, which required us to use coal as fuel again for a while. But in Q2 2023, the power station started to run on sustainable biomass again.”

4. Interim ESG performance report - First nine months 2023 Ørsted · 2023 Own record

   “Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas intensity decreased by 27 % to 43 g CO2e/kWh in 9M 2023, primarily driven by the 33 % decrease in the use of coal.”

Reasoning

Ørsted's own 9M 2022 report says Danish authorities ordered it to continue and resume three coal- and oil-fired units until 30 June 2024, and that its former target of stopping coal by Q2 2023 was replaced by a 2025 target (E1, E2). The 9M 2023 report shows coal was still in use during 2023: coal use fell 33% but did not stop, and Studstrup unit 3 burned coal until Q2 2023 (E3, E4). The criteria say the reason for coal use does not change the test. Because coal stayed in material use through 2023 and the exit was moved to 2025, the claim resolves false.

Cite this claim

Ørsted, “DONG Energy will stop using coal altogether at its power plants from 2023.” (said 2017). Verdict: resolved false. Reliability API, claim c_080c462e5f8f, method 0.1.0+7831dd9d. https://epistacklabs.com/claims/c_080c462e5f8f