Transportation on the Ohio River was halted in both directions after nine coal barges broke free from a tug and four sank near the Belleville Locks and Dam in southern Wood County in early January. Three bridges in the Wheeling, West Virginia area were shut down after 16 barges broke loose from American Electric Power Company's (AEP) Cardinal plant in Brilliant, Ohio.

AEP owns eight large plants on the Ohio River, on either side of Belleville.

The barges are keeping the Belleville dam from shutting, which is required to fill a 42 mile long navigation pool, Dow Jones Energy Service reported.

Once the barges are clear of the dam's gates it will take at least 24 hours to fill the pool behind the dam to the point where it can support shipping.

About 17 tows pushing a dozen or more barges pass through the Belleville locks every day, most of which haul coal.

Despite the continuing coal delivery problems posed by Belleville, the overall situation on the Ohio River has improved since delays started more than two weeks ago.

Cinergy Corp, which has five Ohio River power plants producing 4,600 megawatts, started receiving coal deliveries again over the weekend. Most of this coal comes from sources like the Big Sandy and Kenawha tributaries on the Ohio, and docks below Belleville. They have all resumed loading and shipping.

AEP has relied on inventories and shipping by other methods, like rail and truck, to keep its plants on line but estimates it could take several months to rebuild coal inventories to normal levels following the flood-related delays.