Electric Power Sector Coal Stocks: January 2016

 

In January, U.S. coal stockpiles decreased to 189 million tons, down 4% from the previous month. This decrease in December-to-January coal stockpiles follows the normal seasonal pattern where stockpiles decrease during the winter months. However, overall U.S. coal stockpile are still at very high levels due to the loss in market share to natural gas in all regions of the country.

Days of burn

The average number of days of burn held at electric power plants is a forward-looking estimate of coal supply given a power plant's current stockpile and past consumption patterns. For bituminous units largely located in the eastern United States, the average number of days of burn increased from 91 days of burn in December to 94 days of forward-looking days of burn in January. For subbituminous units largely located in the western United States, the average number of days of burn increased, going from 95 days in December to 101 days in January. The 94 days of burn for bituminous units is the second highest level of days reached since this metric was calculated beginning in January 2010, and the 101 days of burn for subbituminous units is the highest level of days reached over this same period.

Coal stocks and average number of days of burn for non-lignite coal by region (electric power sector)

		January 2016			January 2015			December 2015
Zone	Coal	Stocks (1000 tons)	Days of Burn		Stocks (1000 tons)	Days of Burn	% Change of Stocks	Stocks (1000 tons)	Days of Burn	% Change of Stocks
Northeast	Bituminous	7,963	100		7,049	91	13.0%	8,431	92	-5.5%
	Subbituminous	652	220		785	205	-17.0%	675	174	-3.4%
South	Bituminous	35,808	97		33,101	85	8.2%	38,762	95	-7.6%
	Subbituminous	7,792	98		6,184	82	26.0%	8,145	97	-4.3%
Midwest	Bituminous	17,447	91		14,415	74	21.0%	18,625	88	-6.3%
	Subbituminous	46,652	87		33,409	58	39.6%	48,526	82	-3.9%
West	Bituminous	4,852	78		4,515	69	7.5%	5,331	77	-9.0%
	Subbituminous	40,971	121		28,826	82	42.1%	40,914	116	0.1%
U.S. Total	Bituminous	66,071	94		59,079	81	11.8%	71,149	91	-7.1%
	Subbituminous	96,066	101		69,204	69	38.8%	98,260	95	-2.2%

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

NOTE: Stockpile levels shown above reflect a sample of electric power sector plants, which were used to create the days of burn statistics. These levels will not equal total electric power sector stockpile levels.