Ptolemaida, Greece’s coal mining heartland, faces an uncertain future as its last two lignite power plants prepare to shut down in 2026. Mayor Panagiotis Plakentas warns the region could become "Europe’s Detroit" without urgent economic revitalization. 🏭💔
Western Macedonia, once thriving on brown coal jobs, now grapples with 10% unemployment – Greece’s highest. "Eight in 10 young people who leave for studies never return," Plakentas told reporters, describing a brain drain threatening communities.
Workers at the Agios Dimitrios plant, set to close in May, voice mixed feelings. "Lignite gave us life for decades, but now it feels like a trap," said one employee sipping coffee beneath the facility’s smokestacks. ☕️🏗️
Greece’s €5 billion renewable energy plan promises solar farms and data centers through 2028. But local council leader Ilias Tentsoglidis remains skeptical: "Where are these projects? We see brutal de-lignite-isation, not transition."
As the Ptolemaida plant converts to natural gas, residents wonder: Can green energy replace 60 years of coal culture? The answer may shape Europe’s industrial transition playbook. 🔄💡
