Coal-fired power generation grew 8.9% to 140,060GWh in January 2013 from the same month a year ago on higher electricity demand, according to energy data provider Genscape.
The increase in coal-fired generation during the month resulted from higher gas prices, and low power generation from nuclear and renewable energy sources.
Overall power demand started 2013 out 3.2% to 350,554GWh in January 2013, driven by very cold weather in the fourth week of the month.
Nuclear power output fell by 2% when compared with January 2012, as US-based DTE Energy’s 1,085MW Unit 2 at the Fermi nuclear power plant in Michigan did not run at full capacity.
An unplanned six-day outage at First Energy’s 1,240MW Perry nuclear power plant in Ohio also added to lower output in January 2013.
Denmark’s Genscape monitors hundreds of power generating stations throughout the US that show which power plants are running and at what capacity.