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Eskom suspends coal transport for a day over safety
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's state power utility Eskom said on Thursday it had stopped all road transportation of its coal for one day to improve road safety, but that power supply would not be affected during the period.

The company said it would cease road transport for its main raw material coal in a 24-hour period starting on Thursday morning to Friday morning after suffering 55 accidents, which killed 16 people over the past month.

Eskom, which has struggled to meet electricity demand this year, said the stoppage in road transportation would result in the level of coal stock piles at Eskom power stations reducing "by no more than two system days."

Coal stockpiles at Eskom power stations are at an average of 25.7 days, the company said.

About 133,700 tonnes of coal is transported daily to 11 power stations across the country using more than 1,500 trucks.

The utility uses coal as its major energy source to fire most of its power stations and produce about 95 percent of the country's electricity needs.

"Eskom has put a 24-hour halt to all coal road transportation and logistics in order for the organisation and its coal transporters to reflect on safety following an increase in road safety incidents," the company said in a statement.

"During the past month Eskom has experienced an exceptionally high number of accidents relating to coal road transportation. We are extremely concerned," Eskom Chief Executive Jacob Maroga said.

The utility said it would not take delivery of coal transported to its stockyards and crushing facilities until 0400 GMT on Friday while coal transporters addressed safety matters.

source: Reuters 07 August 2008