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Electricity Monthly Update

With Data for July 2023 Release Date: September 26, 2023 Next Release Date: October 24, 2023

Electric Power Sector Coal Stocks: July 2023


Total U.S. coal stockpiles had a month-over-month decrease of 5.7%, reaching 122 million tons in July 2023. This decrease in total U.S. coal stockpiles follows the normal seasonal pattern whereby coal power plants use up their stockpiles during the peak summer months when demand for electricity generation is higher.

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 the previous month, going from 137 days of forward-looking days of burn in June 2023 to 144 days of burn in July 2023. For subbituminous units largely located in the western United States, the average number of days of burn also increased, going from 134 days of burn in June 2023 to 143 days of burn in July 2023.

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

    July 2023 July 2022   June 2023  
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 2,715 362 1,638 365 65.8% 3,046 365 -10.9%
  Subbituminous . . . . . . . .
South Bituminous 18,294 140 10,833 56 68.9% 20,922 128 -12.6%
  Subbituminous 5,793 90 3,254 38 78.0% 6,123 79 -5.4%
Midwest Bituminous 12,731 129 7,317 73 74.0% 12,680 117 0.4%
  Subbituminous 30,679 151 17,327 102 77.1% 32,099 146 -4.4%
West Bituminous 3,043 148 3,221 159 -5.5% 3,238 152 -6.0%
  Subbituminous 29,493 148 17,504 81 68.5% 30,634 141 -3.7%
U.S. Total Bituminous 36,782 144 23,008 77 59.9% 39,886 137 -7.8%
  Subbituminous 65,965 143 38,085 81 73.2% 68,857 134 -4.2%

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.
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