Energy & Science
Power and Coal Forecast Cut as Virus Forces Workers to Stay Home
- Electricity use to drop 3.1% in 2020, triple earlier estimate
- Idled mines, less demand mean coal output to slide 22%: EIA
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U.S. coal production will fall even more sharply than expected this year as the coronavirus forces businesses to close down, dragging down demand for electricity.
Mines will supply about 537 million tons of coal this year, down 22% from 690 million tons last year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Tuesday. A month ago, before lockdown orders took effect across the country, the agency expected production to slide 17%.