(LOOTPRESS) – West Virginia coal production increased from the previous week by +1%. +3.9% in the NAPP region of the state while production in the state’s CAPP region declined by -2.3% week over week. Compared to the same time last year, statewide coal production is up +5% compared to same 20 weeks of 2021. +5.4% in the state’s NAPP region and +4.4% in the CAPP region of the state.
National coal production also increased week over week by +1.1%. +2.8 in Appalachia and +1.6% in the Western coal region. Production in the Interior coal region decreased week over by -3.4%. Compared to the same 20 weeks of 2021, year to date U.S. coal production is up +3.4%. +3.6 from the Appalachian region and +5.2% from the Western coal region. Production from the Interior coal basin is off -2.7% from the same time last year.
EIA reported spot prices for eastern thermal coal increased week over week. NAPP +3% (+$2.95), CAPP +5.4% (+$6.50) and ILB +3.1% (+$3.75). Powder River Basin prices decreased by -0.3% (-$0.05) and Western Bituminous prices declined by -0.4% (-$0.15) from the previous week. Average natural gas prices declined week over week by -9.9%. Compared to same week in 2021, thermal coal prices are up +84.6% for NAPP, +110.7% for CAPP, +255.8% for ILB thermal coal, +28.6% for PRB and +22.9% for Western Bituminous. Average U.S. natural gas spot prices are +163.8% higher than the same week last year.
According to data reported by West Virginia’s two class one railroad systems, the number of unit coal trains in the entire Northern Appalachian and Central Appalachian regions holding per day was unchanged week over week (average of nine trains holding). Coal carloads reported by both railroads increased by +2.2% week over week. River barge loadings of West Virginia coal also increased by +4.5% from the previous week.
Domestic iron and steel production increased slightly from the previous week by +0.4%. Furnace capacity utilization increased +0.49%. Compared to the same time last year, domestic iron and steel production is off -1.8% while cumulative furnace capacity utilization is up +1.9%.
U.S. electric generation increased +5.9% from the previous week. Output in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions decreased slightly by -0.04% week over week while output from the Central Industrial region increased +16.1% from the previous week. Compared to the same 20 weeks of 2021, year to date U.S. electrical generation is up +3.5%. +1.7% in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions and +3.4% in the Central Industrial region.
Total U.S. rail traffic increased slightly from the previous week by +0.04%. Coal carloadings increased +1.1%, steelmaking raw materials and finished steel traffic increased +10.9% while auto parts and finished auto traffic declined by -9% week over week. Compared to the same time last year, U.S. rail traffic is off -3.5%. Coal carloads are up +6%, steelmaking traffic is down -5.9% and automaking carloads are off -4.3%.
