US Coal Prices Rise 11.6% in July on Strong Utility Demand and Tight Supply

US coal spot prices moved decisively higher through July as restricted domestic availability coincided with peak summer electricity consumption. The US coal price for the Brown Coal **,*** Btu, < *.* SO* grade climbed from $**.**/MT earlier in July to $**.**/MT by the end of the month, representing an **.** increase in coal prices during July. The increase reflected tighter prompt availability and stronger procurement activity from utilities. Early in the month, reduced operating availability and maintenance-related disruptions at domestic mines limited merchant supply, while utilities increased procurement to prepare for elevated power demand. Severe heatwaves subsequently pushed electricity demand across the PJM Interconnection close to record levels. During the heatwave, coal-fired generation increased from **.* GW to **.* GW week-on-week, highlighting the stronger role of coal in meeting additional electricity load. Coal, natural gas, and nuclear together supplied around *** of PJM generation, while...