Seven coal-fired power stations in Germany were shut down over Easter as the nation’s need for the power declined, power generators RWE and LEAG reported on Sunday. Five had been taken out of the reserve by the federal government to cope with a shortfall in gas supplies through the winter, and a further two had been allowed to continue operating after their scheduled shutdown date, the companies said. The power stations, located along the Rhine and in Brandenburg around Berlin, are to shut down permanently as the winter draws to an end. Germany’s plans to reduce its reliance on coal were dealt…