Houston — US power sector coal stockpiles totaled 134 million st in January, up 4.6% on month and 35.2% on year, US Energy Information Administration data showed Tuesday.

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From January 2019, stockpiles showed the largest year-on-year build since August 2009. US stocks also reached their highest point since November 2017.

From the five-year average for the month of January, which was 144 million st, stocks were at a deficit of 6.9%, the smallest since April 2017.

Bituminous stockpiles totaled about 56.3 million in January, up 2.1% from December and up 39.2% from the year-ago month.

Bituminous stocks were also at a 6.9% deficit from the five-year average of 60.4 million st for January.

Days of burn, according to EIA data, were 137 days in January, up 17 from December and up 47 days from the year-ago month. Additionally bituminous stockpiles reached its peak, for the second consecutive month, since S&P Global Platts began reporting the data in 2009.

The five-year average for January is 88 days of burn.

December subbituminous stockpiles totaled 74.6 million st, up 6.5% from the month before and up 33.4% from the year-ago month.

From the five-year average of 79.6 million st, subbituminous stocks were at a deficit of 6.4%.

Days of burn for subbituminous coal were 120 days, up 23 from December and up 12 days from the year-ago month. The five-year average for the month is 93 days. Days of burn also reached a peak, according to available data.

Lignite stocks totaled 3.3 million st in January, up 5.9% from the previous month. Stocks were up 14.7% from the year-ago month.