US electricity generation from coal hits 30 year low - EIA

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.”

Qatar Steel raises steel prices - Report

Friday, 04 Feb 2011
The Peninsula reported that steel is the latest product to be costlier in Qatar, deepening fears of a general price rise.
Qatar Steel raised the prices of its steel in line with the global trend. This was the second time this year that the country's largest and reputable steel maker resorted to a price hike.
The silver lining, though, is that Qatar Steel was among the last steel makers in the region and the rest of the world to effect a price escalation, pressured by the rising rates of key raw materials worldwide.

Current steel prices range up to QAR 2,955 a tonne locally, while the rate was as recently as until the end of last year around QAR 2,600 a tonne, so the price rise works out to more than 10%.
The first time the steel maker raised the rates of its products was a little more than a month ago when the prices were jacked up to QAR 2,780 a tonne. But with the latest raise the rate has reached QAR 2,955 per tonne.
Al Sharq quoted a local authorized dealer of Qatar Steel as saying yesterday that local steel was still cheaper than in other Arab and even GCC states.

And the raise was attributed to rising prices of pellets and scrap. Pellets were available for as much as USD 730 a tonne in the international markets from an earlier USD 580 to USD 600. Similarly, scarp rates have increased up to USD 430 a tonne in the global markets. (sourced:thepeninsulaqatar.com)