Natural gas-fired power generation to exceed coal in USA in 2016

• 8 years ago (2016-03-09)
• David Flin

North America 1021

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The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has, in its latest monthly Short Term Energy Outlook, said that it expects lower natural gas prices to result in natural gas powering 33.4 per cent of US electricity generation in 2016, compared with 32 per cent for coal. This is the first time that the EIA has projected gas generation to exceed coal on an annual basis.

The EIA reported that nearly 18 GW of electric generating capacity was retired in 2015, of which more than 80 per cent of coal-fired capacity. The coal-fired generating units retired in 2015 tended to be older and smaller than those remaining, the average capacity of units retired in 2015 being 133 MW, with the average of remaining units being 278 MW.