Last week West Virginia coal production followed a national trend, with statewide production decreasing by -3.6%, with production from the NAPP region of the state declining by -3% and production from the CAPP region decreasing by just over -4%. National coal production declined by just over -6%. Production in the Appalachian region declined by -6% from the previous week, Western region production fell by -5.9% and output from the Interior region declined by almost -6 ½ % week over week.
Thermal coal prices were static from the previous week. U.S. natural gas prices increased slightly in all the regions / hubs, increasing an average of +1.43% ($0.04) from the previous week.
U.S. Iron and steel production increased by +1.69% week over week, with capacity utilization going up +1.72%.
Electric generation was up nationally from the previous week by +1.7%, with generation in the coal regions up by just over +2%, although it declined in most of W.Va.’s primary thermal markets (NE, MA, CI) by -0.56%. The exception was the Southeast region, which increased slightly +0.65%
U.S. Rail traffic increased by +0.62%.