Mining activity at the Ahlada lignite deposit in the Florina area, northern Greece, a supply source for main power utility PPC’s Meliti power production facilities, has recommenced with a new company contracted for the extraction work in place of the Aktor-Terna consortium, energypress sources have informed.

Work at the mine, which had remained closed over the past six months, recommenced yesterday on a small scale but is expected to soon grow, both in terms of production and mining teams involved.

In the past, a team of roughly 700 miners and sub-contractors were employed at the mine when it operated at full capacity. Fearing job losses, they have staged a series of meetings with various authorities over the six-month closure in a bid to relaunch work at the mine.

Operations at the mine had been halted as the Aktor-Terna consortium was unable to meet lignite quality specifications demanded by PPC at the price agreed to by the two sides.

This could still be the case with the new firm contracted. Mining activity at the Ahlada lignite mine has been relaunched on a transitional six-month basis during which PPC will stage negotiations for new agreements.

Two other regional mines which, in the past, had supplied PPC’s power station facilities at Meliti are closed and unable to operate. One of the two, the Vevi mine, has remained closed for 15 years, while the other, Klidi, will remain inactive if nearby settlements preventing its development are not relocated.