Nova Scotia Power seeking to buy up 300,000 mt of thermal coal

Houston — Nova Scotia Power is requesting proposals for mid-sulfur coal for deliveries in 2020 and 2021, the first coal solicitation issued by the company since November 2019.

The Halifax, Nova Scotia-based utility is seeking to buy up to 120,000 mt of mid-sulfur coal in 2020 and 180,000 mt of coal in 2021.

Interested parties can offer any quantity of volume indicated for either year, according to the solicitation.

Specifications for the coal include a minimum heat content of 12,800 Btu/lb coal on a gross-as-received basis, maximum sulfur content level of 3%, maximum moisture of 12%, maximum ash of 12% and minimum volatile matter of 30%.

The utility said offers, which can either be indexed or fixed price, must be FOB loading port delivery to the International Pier in Sydney and to the Point Tupper Marine Terminal.

According to data from vessel tracking software Kplr, roughly 443,526 mt of coal has been delivered to Point Tupper and Sydney in 2020, including 85,570 mt from US-based Consol Energy. The remaining 357,956 mt was from three Colombian suppliers: 116,476 mt from Drummond, 142,236 mt from Cerrejon Coal, and 99,244 mt from Glencore, according to the data.

Responses are due 5 pm Aug. 21 by Atlantic Daylight Time, and must remain valid through Sept. 11. Proposals are required to be submitted via email, to rfp@nspower.ca.

Nova Scotia Power has five thermal generating plants in the province and serves over 520,000 customers.