The aim of this study is to predict efficiency deviations in the combustion of coal blends in power plants. Combustion of blends, as compared to its single coals, shows that for some blends the behavior is non-additive in nature. Samples of coal feed and fly ashes from combustion of blends at two power plants, plus chars of the parent coals generated in a drop-tube furnace (DTF) at temperatures and heating rates similar to those found in the industrial boilers were used. Intrinsic kinetic parameters, burning profiles and petrographic characteristics of these chars correlated well with the burnout in power plants and DTF experiments. The blend combustion in a DTF reproduces both positive and negative burnout deviations from the expected weighted average. These burnout deviations have been previously attributed to parallel or parallel-series pathways of competition for oxygen. No deviations were found for blends of low rank coals of similar characteristics yielding chars close in morphology, optical texture and reactivity. Negative deviations were found for blends of coals differing moderately in rank and were interpreted as associated with long periods of competition. In this case, fly-ashes were enriched in material derived from the least reactive char, but also unburnt material attributed to the most reactive char was identified. Improved burnout compared to the weighted average was observed for blends of coals very different in rank, and interpreted as the result of a short interaction period, followed by a period where the less reactive char bums under conditions that are more favorable to its combustion. In this case, only unburned material from the least reactive char was identified in the fly-ashes. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.