US Coal Prices Climb Past $200 as Global Energy Crunch Boosts Demand

  • Coal is one of the main fuels used by US power plants
  • Shares of large US coal companies increased on Monday

    

Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg
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US coal prices surged past $200 for the first time as a global energy crunch drives up demand for the dirtiest fossil fuel.

Spot prices for coal from Central Appalachia rose to $204.95 a ton for the week ending Sept. 30, the highest in records dating to 2005, according to data released Monday by the US Energy Information Administration.