<span>STORY: One of Brazil’s last coal plants roared back to life this year in the southern mining town of Candiota.</span><span>A powerful business group invested millions to keep its turbines turning at the Ambar plant.</span><span>Its billionaire owners are betting Brazil would not soon stop burning coal, a major driver of global warming.</span><span>Cheap renewable energy sources produce over 80% of electricity in the South American country.</span><span>As host of the United Nations climate summit COP30 this month, Brazil is urging nations to transition away from fossil fuels.</span><span>President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva lamented at an event this week that the war in Ukraine had led to the reopening of coal mines.</span><span>Yet coal plants still produce 3% of Brazil’s electricity.</span><span>It illustrates how pressure from interest groups and lack of a transition plan can keep coal burning, even in a renewable energy powerhouse.</span><span>The Candiota plant’s government contract expired last year, leading local businesses to shut down and many residents to leave town.</span><span>The plant now sells energy on the spot market, helping to meet demand when solar and wind generation fades.</span><span>Last month, Brazil’s lawmakers approved a bill granting contracts until 2040 for plants run on domestic coal, such as Candiota.</span><span>But Lula could still veto it.</span><span>Ambar’s work to keep coal alive puts Brazil in the company of countries such as India and South Africa.</span><span>Powerful interest groups have undermined efforts to wean the energy system off coal, which is key to local economies.</span><span>Shutting the coal plant means 10,000 jobs could be lost at Ambar’s operation and the local mine feeding it.</span><span>Residents are on edge about their livelihoods.</span><span>Social worker Graca dos Santos was fired from the plant after it lost government contracts.</span><span>“You cannot suddenly close a plant and change the lives of so many people in a city overnight. What we need now is more time.”</span><span>Lula’s government has no transition plan for Candiota and has not made much progress on plans for other coal plants.</span>
