Last year the coal mine was damaged by a fire. After the fire the management said that the company wanted to reopen the mine by summer 2009.
The mine is now full of water from the fire fighting last year. Together with the repairs of the damage from the fire, it would require heavy investments to reopen the mine. The way the mine is run today, there are also few years left of production.
With the current price level on coal in the international market, the Russians are left with no other option then to postpone the reopening, says Governor of Svalbard, Per Sefland to NRK.
