Houston—US power generation from coal totaled a five-month high 81.81 TWh in January, up 3.9% from December and 25.7% higher than the year-ago month, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
It was the seventh increase in the last nine months for coal generation. However, the latest month was down 20.4% from the five-year average for the corresponding month and was the second-lowest total for a month of January in 46 years, according to EIA data released March 24.Total US power generation during January was also at a five-month high 350.82 TWh, up 1.7% from the prior month and 3% higher than the year-ago month.
Coal made up a 13-month high 23.3% of the power generation in January, while natural gas generation was at 35.7%, compared with 22.8% and 36.4%, respectively, in December. In the year-ago month, coal's share was at 19.1% and gas was at 39.1%.
It was the fifth time in the last seven months that coal outpaced both nuclear and renewable (including hydroelectric) generation.
In 2020, coal made up 19.3% of the power mix, while natural gas, nuclear and renewables made up 40.3%, 19.7% and 19.8%, respectively.
Coal-fired power plants operated at a 51.5% capacity factor, up from 48.6% in December and 39.2% in the year-ago month.
Natural gas generation in January was at 125.32 TWh, down 0.3% from a month earlier and 5.9% lower than the year-ago month.
Natural gas plants operated at a 54.4% capacity factor in January, up from 54% in December, but down from 58.4% in the year-ago month.
Nuclear generation in January was at a 12-month high 71.83 TWh, up 2.8% from December but 3.2% lower than a year earlier. Nuclear made up 20.5% of the total generation in January, up from 20.3% in December, but down from 21.8% in January 2020.
Renewable generation at seven-month highGeneration from renewables, including hydro and solar, was at a seven-month high 68.6 TWh in January, up 2% from December and the highest total since 74.04 TWh in June 2020. The latest month was also 5.8% higher than the year-ago month.
Renewables' power generation share was at 19.6%, up from 19.5% in December and 19% a year ago.
Wind generation fell to 30.43 TWh in January, down 6.3% on the month but 6.6% higher than a year ago, while total solar generation, including from solar photovoltaic and solar thermal, was at 5.73 TWh, up 6.5% from a month earlier and 23.1% higher than the year-ago month.
Generation from wind and solar made up 8.7% and 1.6% of the total power in January, respectively, compared with 9.4% and 1.6% in December, and 8.4% and 1.4% in the year-ago month.
