Residents of two villages near the Aghios Dimitrios power plant in Kozani, northern Greece, yesterday barred supplies of the low-grade coal lignite from entering the site for a second day, hindering production and threatening blackouts.

Dozens of protesters demanded that the Public Power Corporation (PPC) employ some 60 people from local villages at the site and complained about the high levels of pollution emitted by the plant, the biggest in Greece and the source of a quarter of the country’s power supply.

The villagers, who blocked a conveyer belt system carrying lignite to the plant, launched their blockade early on Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, PPC issued a statement asking for understanding from its customers in the event of any power cuts and saying that it was trying to negotiate with protesters.

Talks with local authority officials failed to bear fruit last night as demonstrators demanded talks with Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas.