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US coal generation market share under 30% in September

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US coal generation market share under 30% in September

Coal's share of U.S. generation sank below 30% in September, but despite soft coal demand, power-sector coal stockpiles almost matched the 10-year maximum draw for the month.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's latest "Electric Power Monthly" released Dec. 1, utility-scale generation net of hydroelectric pumped storage fell 5.0% year over year in September to 334.8 million MWh.

Over the same period, gas-fired generation declined 7.1% to 116.7 million MWh, accounting for 34.9% of the net total. Meanwhile, coal-fired generation declined 13.9% versus the prior-year period to 98.4 million MWh, to account for 29.4% of the nation's electricity.

Renewable output climbed 11.2% year over year to 47.8 million MWh as output from hydroelectric, solar and other renewable resources, including wind, all increased.

Year-to-date through September, utility-scale generation declined 2.6% to 3.05 billion MWh, with coal supplying 30.2% of the nation's power and natural gas at a 31.7% share. So far, renewable generation has supplied 17.2% of the nation's power, compared with 14.7% a year earlier.

Over the same period, coal-fired generation declined 1.6% year over year to 919.8 million MWh, while gas-fired generation declined 11.0% to 967.0 million MWh. Meanwhile, renewable generation grew 14.2% to 525.1 million MWh.

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Power-sector coal stockpiles fell by 2.1 million tons during the month, against the 10-year average build of 3.0 million tons. During the prior 10 years, September stockpile fluctuations versus the prior month have ranged from a draw of 2.2 million tons to a build of 6.2 million tons.

The EIA estimates that the September stockpile level of 139.5 million tons translates to 92 days of burn and 84 days of burn, respectively, for bituminous and sub-bituminous coal, 7.5% and 20.0% above the five-year averages for the month.

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