EIA: U.S. Coal Consumption for Electricity Fell to 34-Year Low in 2017, an Industrial Info Market Brief

The 661 million short tons of coal consumed in the electric power sector in 2017 was the lowest amount since 1983, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports. Last year was the fourth consecutive year that U.S. coal consumption and coal shipments by all transport modes fell. Nearly 70% of the coal consumed in the power sector in 2017 was shipped either completely or in part by rail, with the remainder shipped by river barge, truck, and other methods. Industrial Info is tracking more than $9 billion worth of capital and maintenance projects in the U.S. that is tied to coal-fired power generation.