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Published: 25 January 2007

Consumption of hard coal more than doubled last year

Approximately 6.6 million tonnes (160,000 TJ) of hard coal was consumed as fuel in the generation of electricity and heat in 2006. The consumption went up by 105 per cent from the previous year. The large increase mainly arose because separate production of electricity in condensing power plants tripled from 2005. Throughout most of last year, the price of electricity on the Nordic wholesale market remained so high that using hard coal as fuel for condensing power was economically viable. Condensing power produced with coal was used to compensate diminished production of hydro power in the Nordic countries. The use of hard coal in combined heat and power production also increased somewhat.

Consumption of hard coal showed especially strong growth in the third quarter of last year, because consumption in the third quarter of the year before it was very low. Consumption in the third quarter, which totalled 1.8 million tonnes, was the highest in the 2000s. Throughout last year, consumption of hard coal remained 14 per cent below the record year of 2003.

Consumption of Hard Coal, 12-month moving total, million tonnes

 

Consumption of Hard Coal, 1000 t

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
January	610	490	580	820	890	380	550
February	450	600	440	750	720	430	590
March	390	640	420	730	660	570	660
April	250	430	320	660	550	280	420
May	290	340	190	570	490	230	370
June	100	260	130	380	460	90	450
July	80	190	210	380	410	50	500
August	220	210	270	490	480	90	580
September	270	230	450	650	430	90	680
October	380	330	760	700	530	210	660
November	400	420	770	700	630	300	660
December	470	570	800	800	480	460	450
Whole year	3910	4710	5360	7640	6720	3200	6570

Hard Coal Stocks, month-end, million tonnes

	2006
January	5.0
February	4.6
March	4.1
April	3.9
May	3.8
June	3.7
July	3.4
August	3.2
September	3.3
October	3.5
November	3.8
December	4.4

Source: Since 2005 Statistics Finland, 1997-2004 Coal User's Committee/Finergy

Inquiries: Mr Saku Slioor +358 9 1734 2685 energia@stat.fi

Director in charge: Ms Kaija Hovi

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Last updated 25.1.2007