Czech power utility CEZ plans to extend until 2020 the life of its four old coal-fired plants due to the failure to agree with Czech Coal on coal supplies for its new coal-fired plant. The plants were planned to shut down between 2010 and 2015. "I still believe we can agree on a consensus with (Czech Coal)... but if that didn't happen we won't find a substitution so quickly. As long as we have coal we should keep the old plants running...," CEZ board member Jiri Borovec told daily Hospodarske Noviny. CEZ failed in June to agree with Czech Coal, the owner of the largest soft coal mines in the country, on long term coal deliveries until 2055, which are crucial for its planned 1.3 GW plant. (Thomson Financial)