US generation up 8% year over year in January

U.S. utility-scale generation increased year over year in January as output from nuclear sources declined while output from coal, gas and renewables grew.

Utility-scale generation net of hydroelectric pumped storage increased 8.0% year over year in January to 379.0 million MWh, up 28.2 million MWh from 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's latest "Electric Power Monthly" report released March 24.

Gas-fired generation led the fuel mix by volume and climbed 8.2% to 136.3 million MWh, accounting for 36.0% of the net total in January. Coal-fired generation increased 7.4% versus the prior-year period to 87.5 million MWh to account for 23.1% of the nation's electricity. Nuclear dropped from 20.4% of the U.S. generation mix in January 2021 to 18.6% in January 2022, reflecting the retirement of the 1,040-MW Indian Point 3 plant in Westchester County, N.Y., in April 2021.

Total renewable output climbed 16.2% year over year to 79.3 million MWh, with solar increasing 39.8% and wind up 25.4%.

Power-sector coal stockpiles fell by 7.3 million tons during the month, above the 10-year average draw of 4.4 million tons. During the prior 10 years, January stockpile fluctuations versus the prior month have ranged from a draw of 14.5 million tons to a build of 7.7 million tons.

The EIA estimated that the January stockpile level of 87.3 million tons translates to 119 days of burn for bituminous coal, 7.0% above the five-year average for the month, and 113 days of burn for subbituminous coal, 1.3% above the five-year average for the month.

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