Weekly US coal production totaled an estimated 14.3 million st in the week ended May 4, up 4.6% from the prior week and up 7.7% from the year-ago week, US Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.
The weekly figure was the strongest since the week ended February 8, when the EIA estimated production totaled 14.9 million st.
Coal stockpiles remain at historic lows, but moderating weather may also be allowing more trains from the Powder River Basin to move.
For the recently-concluded week, coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which primarily consists of coal from the Powder River Basin, totaled an estimated 6.3 million st, up 3.9% compared with last week and up 10.7% from the year-ago week.
On an annualized basis, production in the region would total 308.6 million st, down 9.7% from last year.
In Central Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 1.9 million st, up 7.5% from last week and up 5.9% from last year. On an annualized basis, CAPP production would total 93.8 million st, up 0.4% from last year.
In Northern Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2 million st, up 3.8% from last week and up 3.6% from the year-ago week. On an annualized basis, NAPP production would total 98.7 million st, down 4.8% from last year
In the Illinois Basin, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2.1 million st, up 5.5% from last week and up 9.5% from last year. On an annualized basis, IB production would total 101.8 million st, down 4.5% from last year.
Based on EIA estimates through the first 18 weeks of the year, US coal production would total 699 million st in 2019, down 6.9% from last year.
