8月13日，2014
自2007年历史高点以来，动力煤进口大幅下降
动力煤进口已经从历史高点2007年的3000万吨下降到2013年的不足700万吨；同时使用进口动力煤电厂也从历史高点2006年的48家减少到2013年13家。2014年前5个月的数据显示，进口动力煤和使用进口动力煤的电厂都在增加，但是低于2007年水平。进口煤主要来自哥伦比亚，当然也包括委内瑞拉（Venezuela）、印尼和加拿大；但这占美国煤炭消耗量并不大，在进口动力煤历史高点的2007年仅有3%，而在2013年都不到1%了。
尽管美国国内煤炭供应量充足，但东海岸和墨西哥湾的一些发电厂依然使用进口煤。从2002年到2013年，大型进口煤电厂使用了25%-50%的进口煤。对这一地区的发电厂而言，没从东部铁路运输而来成本相对较高；某些情况下水路运输也会受到制约。这些电厂使用国内煤的话，成本就比较高；因为附近的阿巴拉契亚（Appalachian）煤价高于国内平均水平。国内煤价高这一因素足以使进口煤更具吸引力。
还有，一部分进口煤硫含量低，这使得电厂环保压力降低。最近技术进步在削弱这种优势，因为一些进口煤电厂新安装了烟气脱硫设备，这使得购买国内高硫含量的煤选择性进一步增大。
电厂用煤量一直在下降，原因是国内用电需求下降和天然气发电的竞争。最近进口煤使用量下降主要是因为一些火电厂关停、火电厂装置利用率下降和国际煤价上涨。
2011年之前，夏季进口煤电厂净发电量是18977MW。然而，2011年—2013年间，约9%发电容量退出，另有21%发电容量在2020年退出。最近和计划退出容量将会导致11家火电厂关停和一个电厂（阿拉巴马州的巴里厂）部分停运。
近年来，火电厂平均开工率一直在降低，从2006年的74%下降至2013年的59；而所有使用进口煤的电厂这一数据下降更大，从2007年的74%下降到了2013年的37%。
撰稿人：迈克·梅里希（Mike Mellish）
AUGUST 13, 2014
Steam coal imports remain downsharply from historic high in 2007
Steam coal imports at electric power plants have fallensignificantly from their peak level of more than 30 million tons in 2007 toless than 7 million in 2013. The number of plants using imported coal similarlyfell from a peak of 48 in 2006 to 13 in 2013. Preliminary data for the firstfive months of 2014 indicate an increase in both imports and the number ofplants taking imports, but both are still well below 2007 levels. Coal imports,mainly from Colombia but also from countries including Venezuela, Indonesia,and Canada, remain a small component of overall U.S. coal consumption—only 3%during the peak year of 2007 and less than 1% in 2013.
Although the United States has abundant supplies ofdomestic coal, some power plants along the East Coast and the Gulf Coastreceive imported coal. Imported coal accounted for between 25% and 50% of totalannual coal receipts for the top coal-importing plants from 2002 to 2013.Plants in these areas are subject to relatively higher cost of eastern railtransport and in some cases are limited to delivery by waterway. The domesticcoal these plants use is also relatively expensive, because nearby Appalachiancoals are priced above the national average. These factors increased the costof domestic coal high enough to make imported coal economically attractive.
Furthermore, some imported coal may have lower sulfurcontent, making it easier for plants to consume coal without exceedingenvironmental regulations. Technology improvements have partially removed thisadvantage, as recent installations of flue gas desulfurization equipment at anumber of coal-importing plants have provided these generators with additionalflexibility to purchase higher-sulfur coal from domestic suppliers.
Coal use at electricity generating plants has beendeclining in general, as low electricity demand growth and increasedcompetition with natural gas has lessened the demand for coal. The recentdecline in coal imports by electric generators in particular is attributable toretirements of coal-fired power plants, decreased utilization of coal-firedpower plants, and higher international coal prices compared with domesticprices.
Before 2011, total net summer generating capacity forcoal-importing plants was 18,977 megawatts (MW). However, 9% of this capacitywas retired between 2011 and 2013, and another 21% of this capacity is plannedto retire by 2020. Recent and planned retirements will result in the completeretirement of coal-fired generating capacity at 11 plants and the partialretirement of coal-fired capacity at one additional plant (the Barry plant inAlabama).
The remaining coal-fired electric generators have beenused less often in recent years: the average utilization rate of the entirecoal fleet declined from 74% in 2006 to 59% in 2013. At plants that consumedimported coal, this drop was larger, falling from a peak of 74% in 2007 to 37%in 2013.
Principal contributor: Mike Mellish
自2007年历史高点以来，动力煤进口大幅下降
动力煤进口已经从历史高点2007年的3000万吨下降到2013年的不足700万吨；同时使用进口动力煤电厂也从历史高点2006年的48家减少到2013年13家。2014年前5个月的数据显示，进口动力煤和使用进口动力煤的电厂都在增加，但是低于2007年水平。进口煤主要来自哥伦比亚，当然也包括委内瑞拉（Venezuela）、印尼和加拿大；但这占美国煤炭消耗量并不大，在进口动力煤历史高点的2007年仅有3%，而在2013年都不到1%了。
尽管美国国内煤炭供应量充足，但东海岸和墨西哥湾的一些发电厂依然使用进口煤。从2002年到2013年，大型进口煤电厂使用了25%-50%的进口煤。对这一地区的发电厂而言，没从东部铁路运输而来成本相对较高；某些情况下水路运输也会受到制约。这些电厂使用国内煤的话，成本就比较高；因为附近的阿巴拉契亚（Appalachian）煤价高于国内平均水平。国内煤价高这一因素足以使进口煤更具吸引力。
还有，一部分进口煤硫含量低，这使得电厂环保压力降低。最近技术进步在削弱这种优势，因为一些进口煤电厂新安装了烟气脱硫设备，这使得购买国内高硫含量的煤选择性进一步增大。
电厂用煤量一直在下降，原因是国内用电需求下降和天然气发电的竞争。最近进口煤使用量下降主要是因为一些火电厂关停、火电厂装置利用率下降和国际煤价上涨。
2011年之前，夏季进口煤电厂净发电量是18977MW。然而，2011年—2013年间，约9%发电容量退出，另有21%发电容量在2020年退出。最近和计划退出容量将会导致11家火电厂关停和一个电厂（阿拉巴马州的巴里厂）部分停运。
近年来，火电厂平均开工率一直在降低，从2006年的74%下降至2013年的59；而所有使用进口煤的电厂这一数据下降更大，从2007年的74%下降到了2013年的37%。
撰稿人：迈克·梅里希（Mike Mellish）
AUGUST 13, 2014
Steam coal imports remain downsharply from historic high in 2007
Steam coal imports at electric power plants have fallensignificantly from their peak level of more than 30 million tons in 2007 toless than 7 million in 2013. The number of plants using imported coal similarlyfell from a peak of 48 in 2006 to 13 in 2013. Preliminary data for the firstfive months of 2014 indicate an increase in both imports and the number ofplants taking imports, but both are still well below 2007 levels. Coal imports,mainly from Colombia but also from countries including Venezuela, Indonesia,and Canada, remain a small component of overall U.S. coal consumption—only 3%during the peak year of 2007 and less than 1% in 2013.
Although the United States has abundant supplies ofdomestic coal, some power plants along the East Coast and the Gulf Coastreceive imported coal. Imported coal accounted for between 25% and 50% of totalannual coal receipts for the top coal-importing plants from 2002 to 2013.Plants in these areas are subject to relatively higher cost of eastern railtransport and in some cases are limited to delivery by waterway. The domesticcoal these plants use is also relatively expensive, because nearby Appalachiancoals are priced above the national average. These factors increased the costof domestic coal high enough to make imported coal economically attractive.
Furthermore, some imported coal may have lower sulfurcontent, making it easier for plants to consume coal without exceedingenvironmental regulations. Technology improvements have partially removed thisadvantage, as recent installations of flue gas desulfurization equipment at anumber of coal-importing plants have provided these generators with additionalflexibility to purchase higher-sulfur coal from domestic suppliers.
Coal use at electricity generating plants has beendeclining in general, as low electricity demand growth and increasedcompetition with natural gas has lessened the demand for coal. The recentdecline in coal imports by electric generators in particular is attributable toretirements of coal-fired power plants, decreased utilization of coal-firedpower plants, and higher international coal prices compared with domesticprices.
Before 2011, total net summer generating capacity forcoal-importing plants was 18,977 megawatts (MW). However, 9% of this capacitywas retired between 2011 and 2013, and another 21% of this capacity is plannedto retire by 2020. Recent and planned retirements will result in the completeretirement of coal-fired generating capacity at 11 plants and the partialretirement of coal-fired capacity at one additional plant (the Barry plant inAlabama).
The remaining coal-fired electric generators have beenused less often in recent years: the average utilization rate of the entirecoal fleet declined from 74% in 2006 to 59% in 2013. At plants that consumedimported coal, this drop was larger, falling from a peak of 74% in 2007 to 37%in 2013.
Principal contributor: Mike Mellish
