RJB secures pounds 1.4bn contract

RJB, BRITAIN'S biggest coal producer (led by chief executive Richard Budge, left), last night secured a a pounds 1.4bn deal to supply 50 million tonnes of coal to Eastern Group, Britain's third biggest generator, over the next 10 years.

Eastern, which has already contracted to buy 12 million tonnes over the next three years, has agreed to take a further 16 million tonnes between now and 2003 and an extra 21 million tonnes between 2003 and 2009, provided it gets permission to fit environmental clean-up kit to its West Burton station in Nottinghamshire. The agreement will increase RJB's annual supplies to Eastern from 4 million to 7 million tonnes over the next three years