Electricity
Electricity Monthly Update
With Data for March 2013 | Release Date: May 21, 2013 | Next Release Date: June 21, 2013
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Electric Power Sector Coal Stocks: March 2013
In March 2013, total coal stocks decreased 2.2 percent from the previous month, indicating increased consumption of coal due to a combination of colder weather, lower prices for coal, and higher natural gas prices in many regions. Total coal stockpiles were around 173 million tons, the lowest total level since December of 2011 and a 4 percent drop since the beginning of the year.
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. As with total stockpile levels, the days of burn held at electric power plants are decreasing, but remain at elevated levels. In March 2013, total bituminous supply decreased from 96 days the previous month to 88 days. Total subbituminous supply decreased from 85 days of burn in February 2013 to 79 days of burn in March 2013.
Coal Stocks and Average Number of Days of Burn for Non-Lignite Coal by Region (Electric Power Sector)
| March 2013 | March 2012 | February 2013 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 6,678 | 69 | 9,449 | 83 | -29.3% | 7,040 | 76 | -5.1% | |
| Subbituminous | 251 | 51 | 669 | 76 | -62.6% | 251 | 52 | -0.3% | ||
| South | Bituminous | 47,896 | 93 | 52,567 | 96 | -8.9% | 49,164 | 103 | -2.6% | |
| Subbituminous | 7,093 | 74 | 8,422 | 80 | -15.8% | 6,732 | 77 | 5.4% | ||
| Midwest | Bituminous | 15,954 | 76 | 17,699 | 80 | -9.9% | 15,710 | 78 | 1.6% | |
| Subbituminous | 40,507 | 73 | 50,294 | 82 | -19.5% | 42,310 | 78 | -4.3% | ||
| West | Bituminous | 6,687 | 122 | 6,769 | 118 | -1.2% | 6,586 | 127 | 1.5% | |
| Subbituminous | 33,163 | 91 | 33,996 | 92 | -2.4% | 34,073 | 97 | -2.7% | ||
| U.S. Total | Bituminous | 77,215 | 88 | 86,484 | 92 | -10.7% | 78,500 | 96 | -1.6% | |
| Subbituminous | 81,013 | 79 | 93,382 | 85 | -13.2% | 83,365 | 85 | -2.8% | ||
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.