Photograph of Ratcliffe power station
The principal market for coal in the UK is the electricity generation sector. Typically around 42% of Britains electricity is generated from coal every year. Over 85% of UK COAL's sales were to this sector and the company supplied about 20% of the coal burnt at power stations in England and Wales.
UK COAL has traditionally supplied coal to all English power station operators, but would expect future supplies to be increasingly concentrated at stations fitted with flue gas desulphurisation equipment (FGD). Major customers with FGD are Drax Power, EdF Energy, and EON UK plc. Supply arrangements are in place with these customers over varying periods.
Over 90% of coal is delivered by rail, with each train carrying over 1200 tonnes. The three main rail freight companies transporting coal are English, Welsh and Scottish Railways, Freightliner Heavy Haul and G.B. Railfreight.