European coal mining revival? (UK, France)

[jpak]

http://www.mineweb.net/energy/942868.htm

LONDON (Mineweb.com) -- Moves in both Britain and France indicate that European black coal production could start increasing again, after years of decline. High oil and natural gas prices are making coal more competitive again for power generation, despite the high costs involved in making coal-fired power stations less environmentally unfriendly.

In England, Powerfuel – the coal mining company controlled by Richard Budge – has announced that it is to purchase £37 million (around US$ 70 million) of new coal mining machinery for its Hatfield Main colliery between Doncaster and Scunthorpe. Hatfield is currently closed, but is under refurbishment and is due to re-open next year. Hatfield is an old British Coal operation, which still has extensive reserves on two important coal seams, the Barnsley and the High Hazel – both of which are of high quality.

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Meanwhile in France, there are reports that an application has been made to build a mine/power station complex in Central Burgundy at Lucenay-les-Aix. This would be a US$1.4 billion project if it goes ahead with the majority of the cost being for the power station. According to Francois Jaclot, the president of Seren, the company set up to manage the project, the cost per ton of the coal, which would be mined by opencast means from a 70 million ton reserve, would be lower than that of imported coal from South Africa.

The proposed power station would have an output of 1,000MW which, according to M. Jaclot would amount to around 1 percent of France’s electricity supply.

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[Greeby]

1. Wouldn't that be the final irony?

:eyes:

[phantom power]

2. In other news, ratings for hit TV show "Pit Pony" surge.