November 14, 2022 - West Virginia coal production declined from the previous week by -4.8%.  Production from the Northern Appalachian region of the state declined -4.6% week over week and production from the state’s Central Appalachian region declined by -5.2%.  Compared to the same 45 weeks of 2021, year to date statewide coal production is up +6.1%.  Production from state’s Northern Appalachian region is up +5% and production from the Central Appalachian region of the state is up +7.6%. 

U.S. coal production also decreased week over week -3.8%.  -4.7% in the Appalachian region, -4.9% from the Interior region and -3.1% from the Western region.  Year to date, U.S. coal production is up +4.1%.  +2% from the Appalachian region, +2.7% from the Interior region and +5.6% from the Western coal region. 

EIA reported spot prices for U.S. domestic thermal coal were unchanged from the previous week.  Compared to the same week last year, Central Appalachian thermal coal prices are +130.3% higher.  Northern Appalachian, +176.6%, Illinois Basin, +370.3%, Powder River Basin, +21.2% and Western bituminous thermal coal +34.8%.  Average spot prices for U.S. natural gas decreased week over week by -11.8%.  Compared to the same week of 2021, average U.S. spot natural gas prices are down -16.7%.

According to data reported by West Virginia’s two Class One railroad systems to the federal Surface Transportation Board, the average number of unit coal trains per day in the entire Northern and Central Appalachian coal regions increased week over week by +10%.  Coal carloadings increased week over week by +11.5%. 

River barge loadings of West Virginia coal decreased from the previous week by -2.6%. 

Domestic iron and steel production declined week over week by -1.3%.  Furnace capacity utilization also decreased -1.3% from the previous week.  Compared to the same 45 weeks of 2021, year to date U.S. iron and steel production is off -4.8% and cumulative furnace capacity utilization is down -2.8% compared to last year.

Total U.S. electric generation increased slightly from the previous week by +0.6%.  Generation in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Regions increased +2.9% week over week and output in the Central Industrial region decreased -1.6%.  Year to date, U.S. electric generation is up +2.3%.  +0.9% in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions and +0.6% in the Central Industrial region. 

Total U.S. rail traffic decreased week over week by -2.4%.  Coal carloads declined -3.7%, steelmaking traffic decreased -4.5% and automaking carloads declined -3.2%.  Compared to the same 45 weeks of 2021 year to date total U.S. rail traffic is off -2.5%.  Coal carloads are up +3.7%, steelmaking traffic is down -7.6% and automaking carloads are up +2.6%.