(LOOTPRESS) – Total West Virginia coal production decreased week over week by -2.6%. Production in the state’s NAPP region declined by -1.3% and production in the CAPP region of the state decreased by -4.8% from the previous week. Year to date, statewide coal production is up +19.5% from the same 48 week period in 2020: +29.6% from the state’s NAPP region and +7.3% from the CAPP region of the state.
Rail shipments of West Virginia declined from the previous week by -2.4%. While carloads increased from the state’s NAPP region by +2.7%, loadings in the state’s CAPP region declined by -4.8% week over week. River barge loadings also decreased week over week by -2.1%. River loads decreased from the NAPP region of the state by -1.4% and by -6.5% from the state’s CAPP region.
National coal production also decreased week over week by -1.2%: -2% from the Appalachian coal basin, -4.4% from the Interior coal region and -0.2% from the Western coal region. Compared to the same time last year, total U.S. coal production +8.9% higher: +16.5% from the Appalachian coal basin, +8.5% from the Interior basin and +5.6% from the Western coal region.
EIA reported spot prices for U.S. thermal coal were unchanged from the previous week. Compared to the week of 2020, U.S. thermal coal prices for CAPP coal are +70.1% higher, +64.3% higher for NAPP coal, +27.2% higher for ILB coal, +164.6% higher for PRB coal and +10.6% higher for Western bituminous thermal coal. Average natural gas prices decreased week over week by -12.4%. Compared to the same week of 2020, average U.S. natural gas prices are +87.5% higher.
U.S. iron and steel production decreased from the previous week by -1.2%. Furnace capacity utilization decreased by -1.3% week over week. Compared to the same 48 weeks of 2020, total domestic iron and steel production is up +19.7% and cumulative capacity utilization is +20.5% higher than the same time in 2020.
Total U.S. electric generation increased week over week +2.3%. Generation in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions increased by +3.5% from the previous week. Generation in the Central Industrial region decreased by -0.9% week over week. Year to date, compared to the same 48 weeks of 2020, total U.S. electric generation is up +3.2%. Generation in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Regions is up +3.3% and generation in Central Industrial region is up +3.7%.
Total U.S. rail traffic declined week over week by -15.2%. Coal carloads decreased -1.1%, steel making traffic decreased by -15.1% and auto making carloads declined by -27.1% from the previous week. Compared to same 48 weeks of 2020, cumulative U.S. rail traffic is 6.7% higher. Coal carloads are up +11.3%, finished steel and steel raw materials traffic is up +24.6% and auto making carloads are up +0.9%.