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Electricity Monthly Update

With Data for May 2022 Release Date: July 26, 2022 Next Release Date: August 24, 2022

Electric Power Sector Coal Stocks: May 2022


Total U.S. coal stockpiles had a month-over-month increase of 1.7%, reaching 93 million tons in May 2022. This increase in total U.S. coal stockpiles follows the normal seasonal pattern whereby coal power plants increase their stockpiles during the spring months when electricity demand is lower on a seasonal basis. As in previous months, total U.S. coal stockpiles remain at a relatively low historical level.

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 decreased from the previous month, going from 86 days of forward-looking days of burn in April 2022 to 72 days of burn in May 2022. For subbituminous units largely located in the western United States, the average number of days of burn also decreased, going from 94 days of burn in April 2022 to 82 days of burn in May 2022.

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

    May 2022 May 2021   April 2022  
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 1,384 270 2,887 365 -52.1% 1,392 231 -0.6%
  Subbituminous . . . . . . . .
South Bituminous 12,155 63 16,232 77 -25.1% 12,737 77 -4.6%
  Subbituminous 3,503 45 5,610 65 -37.5% 3,316 55 5.6%
Midwest Bituminous 7,010 65 9,323 81 -24.8% 8,159 85 -14.1%
  Subbituminous 19,538 92 26,193 117 -25.4% 18,556 100 5.3%
West Bituminous 3,143 147 2,948 146 6.6% 2,868 142 9.6%
  Subbituminous 19,578 88 22,434 86 -12.7% 19,902 101 -1.6%
U.S. Total Bituminous 23,692 72 31,390 88 -24.5% 25,156 86 -5.8%
  Subbituminous 42,619 82 54,237 94 -21.4% 41,775 94 2.0%

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.
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