Damage to coal station won't dim lights in Tampa, Fla., area, TECO says.

Byline: Will Rodgers

Sep. 15--It may take up to 45 days to repair hurricane damage to TECO Energy Inc.'s coal-handling terminal near New Orleans, but there's plenty of coal available elsewhere to keep Tampa Electric power plants running, the company said Wednesday.

About a 40-day supply of coal is on the ground at Tampa Electric Co.'s Big Bend power plant in Tampa with more on the way, said Chuck Black, president of Tampa Electric. Black recently flew over the damaged dry-bulk terminal on the Mississippi River and other parts of southern Louisiana. He was joined by Tom Hernandez, Tampa Electric's vice president of energy delivery and customer services, and Sal Litrico, president of TECO Transport.

"I think the terminal is pretty much indicative of everything that affected the whole area," Litrico said about the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina at the 1,000-acre TECO Bulk Terminal. The facility transfers, mixes and ships coal from Davant, La., to Tampa Electric power plants. "There's been a lot of damage. This is some serious stuff."

As the Gulf Coast continues to emerge from the devastation caused by Katrina and its aftermath, officials with TECO Energy and countless other companies continue to assess the damage.

About 45 percent of TECO's generating capacity if fueled by coal.

At TECO's terminal, about 45 miles south of New Orleans, the three men also saw how the storm tossed coal-carrying barges atop levees. The evacuation scattered more than 100 TECO employees across several states. No serious injuries were reported by TECO Bulk Terminal, although the company has been unable to locate one worker.