Westmoreland Coal to cut 250 jobs, close Texas mine
http://westmoreland.com/location/jewett-mine-texas/SEPTEMBER 29, 2016
The Westmoreland Coal Co. said it will close its Jewett Mine in Texas, thus eliminating 250 jobs after NRG Energy decided last month to switch to cleaner-burning coal from Wyoming.
Westmoreland informed the Texas Workforce Commission in a letter that it will cut the roughly 250 jobs in December and January. The 31-year-old mine for decades serviced NRG’s Limestone coal plant in Jewett, which is between Houston and Dallas. NRG is switching from dirtier lignite coal at the Jewett Mine to low-sulfur coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.
In the letter, the Colorado-based coal company said it “will be forced to cease production operations at the Jewett Mine by the end of the year and termination the employment of its workforce there. We regret this action, but it is unavoidable.”
The Jewett Mine is described as a 35,000-acre surface mine complex. The mine, which is one of the largest in Texas, produced about 5.3 million short tons of coal a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
NRG indicated last month it needed to make the switch for economic reasons to the more efficient and cleaner burning coal. Limestone is one of NRG’s two major coal plants in Texas, including the W.A. Parish plant southwest of Houston.
Although Texas is known more for oil and gas, the Lone Star State has active coal mining in about 40 counties, according to the Railroad Commission of Texas.
