S.Africa's Impala Platinum Q3 refined output down 10% amid power crisis

May 2 (Reuters) - South Africa's Impala Platinum on Tuesday reported a 10% decline in third quarter refined platinum group metal (PGM) output, as reduced smelter availability and intensified power cuts hit production. A power crisis caused by the frequent breakdown of aged coal-fired generation plants in South Africa, the world's top PGM producer, is expected to impact global output of the metals mostly used by the automotive industry. In an update, Impala said it produced 662,000 PGM ounces in the quarter to March 31, compared to 735,000 ounces during the same period last year. Impala's primary operations in South Africa were impacted by planned smelter maintenance as well as reduced power supplies from state-owned utility Eskom, which has resorted to asking miners to reduce their electricity use, a practice it calls "load curtailment". "Production in the quarter was impacted by lower Group production volumes and compounded by reduced available smelting capacity due to scheduled maintenance and the increased severity and frequency of load curtailment in the quarter," Impala said. Impala also has operations in Canada and Zimbabwe, which also has an electricity deficit. The miner said it still expects its full-year output target, although at the lower end of its guidance range of 3 and 3.15 million PGM ounces for the full year to June, despite the operational challenges. Last month, South Africa's Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) reported a 13% decline in first quarter PGM output, also blamed on power cuts and plant stoppages.

(Reporting by Nelson Banya, Editing by Louise Heavens)