The UK's monthly thermal coal consumption fell to a 21-month low in June, with the country's power plants burning just 2.99 million mt, down 22% on the month and 11% on the year, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Total thermal coal burn for the first six months of the year was 26.84 million mt, down from 27.93 million mt in the corresponding 2012 period.
However, the average burn rate of 4.47 million mt/month for H1 2013 was the second highest for the period over the last seven years.
Thermal coal stocks at UK power generators are slowly replenishing, reaching a year-to-date high at the end of June, with 10.09 million mt recorded on stockpiles, up 8% on a month earlier. However, stock levels were still the lowest for the end of June since 2005.
The UK's total coal imports in June -- including metallurgical coal for steel production -- were 4.12 million mt, up 2% on the month but down 1% on the year.
The country imported 24.76 million mt of coal in the first half of 2013, up 11% on H1 2012 and its highest rate for the six-month period since 2006.
