Bloomberg reported that Taiwan, which imports all of its coal needs, increased purchases by 15% in September 2009 from a year earlier as electricity producers raised shipments.

The Bureau of Energy in Taipei said that imports reached 5.57 million tonnes. Consumption dropped 1.4% to 5.3 million tonnes in September.

Coal, which fires about 45% of Taiwan’s power output, is also used in steelmaking. Imports rose after electricity sales at Taiwan Power Co increased 4.6% in September from a year earlier.

Imports of thermal coal rose by 33% in September and purchases of coal used in steelmaking fell by 32%.

(Sourced from www.bloomberg.net)