Form 8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                Date of Report(Date of earliest event reported):
                                November 30, 2000

                            WESTMORELAND COAL COMPANY
                            -------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          DELAWARE                         0-752                 23-1128670
          --------                         -----                 ----------
   (State or other jurisdiction       (Commission File        (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or  organization)          Number           Identification No.)


2 North Cascade Avenue, 14th Floor, Colorado Springs, Colorado       80903
- --------------------------------------------------------------       -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                          (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number,
   including area code:                            719-442-2600
                                                   ------------

Item 5.     Other Events

     The Company announced today that three Virginia power project entities that
are 30%-owned by its wholly owned  subsidiary,  Westmoreland  Energy,  Inc., had
entered into an agreement with Dominion Virginia Power, a subsidiary of Dominion
(NYSE:  D) for their sale. The Company also announced  today that the previously
announced  settlement  between the ROVA Partnership and Dominion  Virginia Power
regarding the Roanoke  Valley  Independent  Energy  Facility  ("ROVA")  contract
dispute has been finalized.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

            (c) Exhibits

            Exhibit 99.8 - Press release dated 11/30/00.

                                 SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                         WESTMORELAND COAL COMPANY

Date: Decembee 1, 2000              /s/ Robert J. Jaeger
                                    --------------------------
                                    By: Robert J. Jaeger
                                    Senior Vice President-Finance
                                    and Treasurer


Exhibit 99.8

               --------------------------------------------------
                   Westmoreland Enters Into Agreement To Sell
               Interests In Three Virginia Cogeneration Projects;
                            ROVA Settlement Finalized
               --------------------------------------------------

Colorado Springs, CO - November 30, 2000 - Westmoreland Coal Company (AMEX: WLB)
announced today that three Virginia power project entities that are 30%-owned by
its wholly owned  subsidiary,  Westmoreland  Energy,  Inc.,  had entered into an
agreement with Dominion  Virginia  Power, a subsidiary of Dominion (NYSE: D) for
their sale. The agreement allows either party to unilaterally  call for the sale
of the  projects at an agreed  price,  at any time  between  January 5, 2001 and
September 30, 2001, following receipt of all regulatory approvals.  The projects
include  three (3) 70 MW  stoker-coal  cogeneration  power  projects  located in
Altavista,  Hopewell and Southampton,  Virginia that began commercial operations
in 1992.  Proceeds of the sale to  Westmoreland's  subsidiary  will  include its
share of the agreed sale price, plus its share of the projects' cash accounts at
closing,  representing an estimated total of $23-25 million.  Dominion  Virginia
Power will assume the projects' contracts and debts. Closing for the transaction
is anticipated to occur during the first quarter of 2001.

W. Michael  Lepchitz,  President of  Westmoreland  Energy,  Inc.  said,  "We are
pleased that the parties agreed with the benefits of a sale to Dominion Virginia
Power,   and  have   cooperated  in  the  discussions  to  reach  an  agreement.
Westmoreland  has benefited  from the operation of these  projects over the past
years and we appreciate the dedication of the project personnel."

"We believe this  transaction  will  deliver a higher value to our  shareholders
than  continued  operation  under  existing  power supply and project  financing
terms,"  commented  Christopher K. Seglem,  Westmoreland  Coal Company Chairman,
President and CEO. "As demonstrated in the past,  Westmoreland  will sell assets
when  opportunities to achieve higher returns for our shareholders  appear to be
present.  Moreover,  the proceeds  from this  transaction  can directly  support
implementation  of the strategic plan presented to our shareholders last April,"
added Seglem.



Westmoreland  Coal Company also  reported  today that the  previously  announced
settlement  between the ROVA  Partnership and Dominion  Virginia Power regarding
the Roanoke Valley  Independent  Energy Facility  ("ROVA")  contract dispute has
been finalized. The ROVA Partnership is a 50/50 partnership between Westmoreland
Energy,  Inc., a wholly owned  subsidiary of Westmoreland  Coal Company and LG&E
Power Inc., a wholly owned  subsidiary  of LG&E Energy Corp.  (NYSE:  LGE).  The
settlement  is part of a  larger  restructuring  of the  contracts  between  the
parties and provides a cash payment to the ROVA Partnership,  modifies the power
purchase agreement to align the interests of and provide incentives for both the
ROVA Partnership and Dominion  Virginia Power and resolves past operating issues
with  regard  to how  forced  outage  days  are  treated.  Westmoreland  has not
previously  recognized any revenues on its 50% portion of the capacity  payments
withheld by Dominion  Virginia  Power.  The cash  portion of the  settlement  is
anticipated to increase Westmoreland's net income for the fourth quarter 2000 by
$14.9  million and increase  cash by $13.9  million.  In  addition,  the greater
operational flexibility afforded by the revised power purchase agreement and the
elimination of the  controversy  associated  with the  continuation  of capacity
payments on forced outage days are expected to improve future  operational  ROVA
Partnership  earnings  by  $1.0-2.0  million  per  year,  of which  50% would be
recognized by Westmoreland.

Westmoreland  Coal Company,  headquartered  in Colorado  Springs,  is the oldest
independent  coal company in the United States.  It is  implementing a strategic
plan for expansion and growth through the  acquisition  and development of coal,
gas and power opportunities in the changing energy  marketplace.  With over $200
million in available tax loss  carryforwards  (NOLs), the Company hopes to enjoy
near pre-tax levels of cash flow from profitable  operations.  Westmoreland  has
made several announcements recently relative to its progress in this regard. The
Company has  announced an  agreement to acquire  Montana  Power  Company's  coal
business for $138 million and an  agreement  to acquire the coal  operations  of
Knife River  Corporation for $28.8 million.  The Company's  existing  operations
include  Powder  River  Basin  coal  mining  through  its  80%-owned  subsidiary
Westmoreland Resources, Inc. and independent power production through its wholly
owned subsidiary Westmoreland Energy, Inc. The Company also holds a 20% interest
in Dominion  Terminal  Associates,  a coal  shipping  and  terminal  facility in
Newport News, Virginia.

     Certain  statements  in this press  release  which are not  historical
     facts or  information  are  "forward-looking  statements"  within  the
     meaning of Section 27A of the  Securities  Act of 1933 and Section 21E
     of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934.  Any  statements  contained
     herein that are not statements of historical  fact may be deemed to be
     forward-looking  statements. For example, words such as "may," "will,"
     "should,"   "estimates,"    "predicts,"    "potential,"    "continue,"
     "strategy," "believes,"  "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends,"
     and similar  expressions  are  intended  to  identify  forward-looking
     statements.  Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
     risks,  uncertainties  and other  factors  which may cause the  actual
     results,  levels  of  activity,  performance  or  achievements  of the
     Westmoreland  Coal  Company,  or industry  results,  to be  materially
     different from any future results, levels of activity,  performance or
     achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking  statements.
     Such factors include,  among others,  the following:  general economic
     and business  conditions;  the ability of the Company to implement its
     business  strategy;  the Company's access to financing;  the Company's
     ability to  successfully  identify  new  business  opportunities;  the
     Company's   ability   to  achieve   anticipated   cost   savings   and
     profitability  targets;  changes  in the  industry;  competition;  the
     Company's ability to utilize its tax net operating losses; the ability
     to  reinvest  excess  cash at an  acceptable  rate of return;  weather
     conditions;  the availability of transportation;  price of alternative
     fuels;  costs  of  coal  produced  by  other  countries;   demand  for
     electricity;  the effect of regulatory and legal proceedings and other
     factors  discussed in Item 1 of Westmoreland  Coal Company's Form 10-K
     for the year ended December 31, 1999. As a result of the foregoing and
     other factors,  no assurance can be given as to the future results and
     achievement  of the Company.  Neither the Company nor any other person
     assumes  responsibility  for the  accuracy and  completeness  of these
     statements.

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           For further information contact Diane Jones (719) 442-2600