WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – West Virginia coal production increased week over week by +2.6%. +1.6% in the state’s NAPP region and +3.7% in the CAPP region of the state. Compared to the same 24 weeks of 2021, year to date statewide coal production is up +2.7%. +0.7% in the NAPP region of the state and +5.3% in the state’s CAPP region.
National coal production also increased from the previous week by +1.4%. +2.1% in the Appalachian region, +5.2% in the Interior coal region and +0.2% in the Western coal region. Compared to the same time last year, total U.S. coal production is up +3.3%. Production from the Appalachian region is off -1.2%, Interior basin production is down -4.9% and production from the western coal region is up +8.3%.
EIA reported spot prices for domestic thermal coal increased week over week. CAPP prices increased +7% (+$9.15 / ton), NAPP +7.7% (+$7.90 / ton), Illinois Basin +2.6% (+$3.25 / ton), Powder River Basin +7.1% (+$1.10 / ton) and Western Bituminous +6.6% (+$2.45 / ton). Compared to the same week of 2021, CAPP prices are up +125.4%, NAPP +98.9%, Illinois Basin +265.2%, Powder River Basin +37.9% and Western Bituminous +30.9%. Average natural gas prices increased +10% from the previous week. Compared to the same week last year, average U.S. natural gas prices are up +213%.
According to data reported by West Virginia’s two class one railroad systems, the number of unit coal trains in the entire Northern and Central Appalachian coal regions holding per day increased +29.4% week over week (+2.3 trains holding per day). Average unit coal train speed decreased on both systems from the previous week. Coal carloads from the entire NAPP and CAPP regions increased from the previous week by +1.9%.
Domestic iron and steel production increased slightly week over week by +0.17%. Furnace capacity utilization also increased +0.12%. Compared to the same 24 weeks of 2021, year to date domestic iron and steel production is off -1.7%. Cumulative furnace capacity utilization is up +2.9 compared to the same time last year.
U.S. electric generation increased from the previous week by +1.4%. Output in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions decreased by -2.1% and generation in the Central Industrial region decreased by -5.8% week over week. Compared to the same time last year, total U.S. electric generation is up +3.3%. Output in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions is up +1.7 and generation in the Central Industrial region is up +1.9%.
Total U.S. rail traffic increased week over week by +7.3%. Coal carloads increased +6.5%, steel making raw materials and finished steel traffic increased +6.7% and auto parts and finished auto carloads increased +10.1%. Compared to the same 24 weeks of 2021, year to date U.S. rail traffic is off -3.5%. Coal carloads are up +4.7%, steelmaking traffic is off -6.5% and auto manufacturing carloads are down -2.4%.