Coal stockpiles at US utilities increased 1% in the week ending Thursday, finishing at an estimated 114 million st, Bentek Energy said Friday.
Bentek, a unit of Platts, said coal consumption declined 8% during the week, with the biggest decline in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator electricity market, which spans from the Texas Gulf Coast to Minnesota.
Coal production also declined, to an estimated 18.6 million st during the week, down 2% from the prior week, said Bentek.
US utility coal stockpiles are down roughly 25% from last year's levels and remain well below the five-year average, while natural gas storage continues to increase, though it is down 10% compared with last year.
