British grid operators are taking steps to postpone the planned closure of coal-fired power stations so they can serve as a backup in case of problems in Britain’s energy sector this winter, Bloomberg reported Monday.

“Britain’s power grid operator is paying coal-fired power stations that were about to be shut down 400 million pounds to keep them running this winter as a backup,” the agency notes.

National Grid, the operator of the UK’s unified energy system, has ordered two backup coal-fired power stations to be prepared to start up due to the cold weather.

“This measure will ensure public confidence in electricity supply,” National Grid said in a statement.

Bloomberg recalls that the German government has also extended the life of coal-fired power plants amid the energy crisis.

Meanwhile, meteorologists expect that the frosty weather will last in Northern Europe and in Germany for the whole week. Thus, a warning about the “yellow” increased level of weather danger is in force on a considerable territory of Britain, and the weather colder than usual seasonal weather is predicted for London. London’s Gatwick and Stansted airports had to close runways on Monday night because of heavy snowfall.

Maxar Technologies Inc. which deals with satellite data among other things, expects warming temperatures in the region starting Dec. 21.

Bloomberg reported last Saturday that winter cold weather is coming to Europe, which will show how efficient European power supply systems are, given the current difficulties in the energy sector.