The UK imported only 77,588 mt of thermal coal in June, plunging 87% year on year and dropping 70% from May to the lowest volume on record, according to customs data received Wednesday.
In the first half of 2016, the UK imported 2.08 million mt of thermal coal, down 81% compared to the same period in 2015.
The UK's thermal coal imports have been declining since its Carbon Price Support mechanism was doubled in April 2015, decreasing coal's competitiveness. Imports have remained below the 1 million mt level every month this year so far and have now fallen below 100,000 mt.
During June, the UK imported no thermal coal from major suppliers Colombia, Russia, the US or South Africa.
Most of the supply came from Kazakhstan at 54,854 mt, followed by the Irish Republic at 7,543 mt, Spain at 7,363 mt and the Netherlands at 5,825 mt.
Electricity production from coal in July was at a record low of 0.78 TWh, down from 1.4 TWh in June, with coal's share in the UK power generation falling to 4.1% in July from more than 7% in June, according to S&P Global Platts' Powervision and National Grid data.
