U.S. production of all types of coal has declined over the past two decades
In 2023, the United States produced 578 million short tons (MMst) of coal, or less than half of the amount produced in 2008 when U.S. coal production peaked, according to our most recent Annual Coal Report. The production decline is spread almost evenly across each type of coal and continued in 2024. Rising mining costs, increasingly stringent environmental regulations, and competition from other sources of electric power generation have contributed to domestic coal production declines.
Quarterly Coal Distribution Report
(Wed, 02 Apr 2025) The Quarterly Coal Distribution Report(QCDR) provides detailed U.S. domestic coal distribution data (excluding waste coal and imports) for fourth-quarter 2024 by coal-origin state, coal-destination state, mode of transportation, and consuming sector. Quarterly coal distribution data for all quarters are preliminary and will be updated in the corresponding Annual Coal Distribution Report.
Quarterly Coal Report
(Wed, 02 Apr 2025) U.S. coal production during the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 128 million short tons (MMst), which was 6% lower than the previous quarter and 9.1% lower than the fourth quarter of 2023. Fourth-quarter 2024 U.S. coal exports (27.7 MMst) increased 1.4% from the third-quarter 2024 level and increased 5.1% from the fourth-quarter 2023 level. U.S. coal imports in the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 0.4 MMst. All data for 2023 and previous years are final. All data for 2024 are preliminary.
Quarterly Coal Distribution Report (QCDR)—Fourth-Quarter 2024
(Wed, 02 Apr 2025) The Quarterly Coal Distribution Report(QCDR) provides detailed U.S. domestic coal distribution data (excluding waste coal and imports) for fourth-quarter 2024 by coal-origin state, coal-destination state, mode of transportation, and consuming sector. Quarterly coal distribution data for all quarters are preliminary and will be updated in the corresponding Annual Coal Distribution Report.
Quarterly Coal Report (QCR)—Fourth-Quarter 2024
(Wed, 02 Apr 2025) U.S. coal production during the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 128 million short tons (MMst), which was 6% lower than the previous quarter and 9.1% lower than the fourth quarter of 2023. Fourth-quarter 2024 U.S. coal exports (27.7 MMst) increased 1.4% from the third-quarter 2024 level and increased 5.1% from the fourth-quarter 2023 level. U.S. coal imports in the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 0.4 MMst. All data for 2023 and previous years are final. All data for 2024 are preliminary.
The cost of transporting coal to the U.S. electric power sector fell slightly in 2023
We released new data on the U.S. electric power sector’s coal transportation costs. The release incorporates final data for 2023 from Form EIA-923, which we collect from electric power plant owners and operators. The data release based on our Form EIA-923 includes tables with costs, in nominal and real (2023) dollars, across regions, states, and modes of transportation. These transportation rates are calculated as a weighted average of the difference between the commodity cost and total delivered cost of coal shipments to plants in the electric power sector. In addition, the rates are based on the primary transport mode that
State Energy Data System: Coal through 2023
(Fri, 31 Jan 2025) Annual state-level estimates of coal consumption, prices, and expenditures.
Rarely used oil, coal helped power New England during recent cold snap
Below average temperatures in the eastern United States during the week of January 19, 2025, resulted in high demand for electricity. On January 21 at 6:00 p.m. eastern time, ISO-New England (ISO-NE), the organization operating an integrated grid in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, recorded peak hourly demand of 19,600 megawatts (MW). Although demand was elevated, it was lower than the 20,308 MW that ISO-NE forecast peak demand would be in its 2024/2025 winter assessment published on November 7, 2024. Temperatures were more moderate in New England than in the Midwest, which tempered electricity demand somewhat
U.S. coal exports reached a six-year record in June 2024
Gross U.S. coal exports in June 2024 totaled 10 million short tons, the most in a month since October 2018, data from our Short-Term Energy Outlook data browser show. Annual average U.S. coal exports were 9.0 million short tons in 2024. U.S. coal exports have increased each year since 2020, when they averaged 5.8 million short tons amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quarterly Coal Report (QCR)—Third-Quarter 2024
(Fri, 03 Jan 2025) U.S. coal production during the third quarter of 2024 totaled 136.2 million short tons (MMst), which was 15.3% higher than the previous quarter and 6.6% lower than the third quarter of 2023. Third-quarter 2024 U.S. coal exports (27.3 MMst) increased 5.9% from the second quarter of 2024 and increased 10.8% from the third quarter of 2023. U.S. coal imports in the third quarter of 2024 totaled 0.7 MMst. All data for 2023 and previous years are final. All data for 2024 are preliminary.