Thursday 04 Aug, 2011 | By Argusmedia
According to US Energy Information Administration, the share of US electricity generated by coal during the first quarter of 2011 was at the lowest level in more than 30 years as power plants switched to natural gas.
The US electric power sector generated about 440 terawatthours using coal during the first quarter of 2011, down 5.8% from the first quarter of 2010. Coal provided 46% of total generation in the first quarter of 2011 compared with 49% during the same three-month period in 2010 and 52% in the first quarter of 2008.
EIA said that coal's share of electricity generation fell in all regions of the country while total electricity generation increased less than 1%. Natural gas generation in the northeast census region grew nearly 6% from last year in the first quarter on lower marginal gas prices and rising coal prices.
The EIA reported that “Generators in the eastern US will likely continue the trend of substituting natural gas for coal.”
The US electric power sector generated about 440 terawatthours using coal during the first quarter of 2011, down 5.8% from the first quarter of 2010. Coal provided 46% of total generation in the first quarter of 2011 compared with 49% during the same three-month period in 2010 and 52% in the first quarter of 2008.
EIA said that coal's share of electricity generation fell in all regions of the country while total electricity generation increased less than 1%. Natural gas generation in the northeast census region grew nearly 6% from last year in the first quarter on lower marginal gas prices and rising coal prices.
The EIA reported that “Generators in the eastern US will likely continue the trend of substituting natural gas for coal.”
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