Coal Supply Agreement

RJB Mining PLC
31 May 2000

                                       
                                RJB MINING PLC

        Five-year coal supply agreement with AES for Drax Power Station

RJB Mining has agreed arrangements with AES Drax Power Ltd, the new owner of
Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, for the supply of up to 25.5 million
tonnes of coal over a five-year period.

The supply arrangements will come into force with effect from April 2001 in a
contract valued at approximately £700 million.  The 4000MW Drax power station
is capable of burning substantially higher volumes than those covered in the
deal, enabling both RJB Mining and other suppliers to bid for additional
business.

RJB Mining continues to supply coal to National Power, the previous owners of
Drax, for their 2,000MW plants at Eggborough, East Yorkshire and Didcot,
Oxfordshire.

RJB Mining Chief Executive Richard Budge said: 'This agreement successfully
concludes six months of commercial negotiations, substantially underpins the
output of the Selby complex for the next six years and provides AES with a
reliable and secure supply of competitively priced coal, free of exchange rate
fluctuations.  It is a sensible deal for both parties, and for electricity
consumers, and enables us to plan our longer term mining operations with
renewed confidence.'

Enquiries:

RJB MINING
Operational              Stuart Oliver                          01525 381759
                                                                or 0374 231178
Financial                Gerald Gradwell/Fiona Grant Duff       020 7457 2345

AES CORPORATION          David Campbell                         01757 612456