The earthquakes which hit Saarland’s mining industry last February led to an increase in the transit trade in imported coal via Rotterdam.
Due to the quakes, the last of the 35 measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale, the Ensdorf mine in Saarland is only operating at 30-40% of its capacity of 3.5 million tonnes this year. The mine supplied four coal-fired power plants in the region, including the one in Bexbach. The stocks at mine and power plants lasted until June/July, after which the import of 2 million tonnes a year from Eastern Europe, Australia and South Africa began. Since the beginning of June, carrier CTL has been running a train, which will carry 100,000 tonnes from Rotterdam to Bexbach this year. (See also: http://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/news/pressreleases/2008/20080807_03.jsp)
The alternative form of supply is no picnic, however. The power plants in Saarland were built to suit the specific chemical quality of the regional coal. Added to this, there are logistical restrictions related to the capacity and configuration of the infrastructure. These hurdles raise the logistics costs, on top of the already high coal prices.
The energy sector in Saarland is in quite a predicament. The mines were due to be closed in a few years anyway, and the point of repairing the damage caused by the earthquakes is questionable. The development of alternatives, such as an unloading facility for imported coal on the Saar and a new power plant in Ensdorf, which should be operational in 2012, face public opposition however. Saarland is dependent on coal for 90% of its energy supply.
Due to the quakes, the last of the 35 measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale, the Ensdorf mine in Saarland is only operating at 30-40% of its capacity of 3.5 million tonnes this year. The mine supplied four coal-fired power plants in the region, including the one in Bexbach. The stocks at mine and power plants lasted until June/July, after which the import of 2 million tonnes a year from Eastern Europe, Australia and South Africa began. Since the beginning of June, carrier CTL has been running a train, which will carry 100,000 tonnes from Rotterdam to Bexbach this year. (See also: http://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/news/pressreleases/2008/20080807_03.jsp)
The alternative form of supply is no picnic, however. The power plants in Saarland were built to suit the specific chemical quality of the regional coal. Added to this, there are logistical restrictions related to the capacity and configuration of the infrastructure. These hurdles raise the logistics costs, on top of the already high coal prices.
The energy sector in Saarland is in quite a predicament. The mines were due to be closed in a few years anyway, and the point of repairing the damage caused by the earthquakes is questionable. The development of alternatives, such as an unloading facility for imported coal on the Saar and a new power plant in Ensdorf, which should be operational in 2012, face public opposition however. Saarland is dependent on coal for 90% of its energy supply.