Coal output soars

The country’s two collieries increased production by 23.4% year-on-year in the second quarter, closing at 599,474 tonnes, as local and international demand for the energy mineral rose. Data released by Statistics Botswana shows that the production between April and June this year was the highest quarterly figure since the second quarter of 2019 when output reached 622,620 tonnes. Statistics Botswana researchers said the increase in the second quarter could be attributed to improved efficiency on all available boilers at Morupule B plant, as well as the improving output of Morupule A power plant. According to figures seen recently by BusinessWeek, plant availability at Morupule B improved to 67% in the first quarter of the 2022–23 financial year from 31% in the corresponding period last year. The improvement is the result of ongoing wide-scale remedial works at the plant. The local collieries also benefited from a global energy gap caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. The conflict has disrupted gas supplies in Europe and Asia, leading countries to seek out coal from countries such as Botswana. Both the Morupule Coal Mine and Minergy Limited have reported rising orders from regional and seaborne clients this year.