Not Just Environmental Concerns Halting Coal
The question of where to source America’s power from has been raised again, but this time is not only the environmental concerns that need addressing.
Reports in the United States say that the viability of present and future coal-fired power stations is being threatened by inadequate means of getting the coal from mines to where it is needed in the power stations.
Most of these issues rest with the rail transport of coal as limited opportunities exist for increasing rail movements without a substantial increase in infrastructure.
The Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana, source of the majority of America’s low-sulphur content coal, has only two two rail companies serving the basin with those companies having to share just one set of tracks for some one-hundred miles of the network. And while there has been some expansion of infrastructure coming out of the Powder River Basin, it is believed to be already nearing inadequacy.
The Association of American Railroads believes that $148 billion needs to be invested in freight infrastructure nationwide over the next three decades and will be seeking Federal Government assistance to cover over a quarter of the total cost.
Aside from rail, coal transport issues also exist with moving coal by ship or barge. Restricted waterways in the Great Lakes region and issues with port capacity have seen loads reduced and the movement of coal by water made increasingly difficult.
US Coal production capacity is estimated to be at around two million tonnes per year, with half of America’s energy requirements satisfied by coal.
Source: WCFCourier.com, GlobalEnergy.com & America’s Power