W.Va. Coal Production Rose In First Quarter, But Nearby States Saw Decline

Coal production was up in West Virginia the first three months of the year, but the results across the region were mixed.

The state’s coal production rose 6.4% in January, February and March, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

It was not evenly distributed, though. Northern West Virginia production rose nearly 21%, while in southern West Virginia, it declined 7.6%.

Hundreds of coal workers in southern West Virginia last month learned they would be laid off in early August.

Other Appalachian states saw a decline in the first quarter. Production in Kentucky declined 8.2%. It was down 2.8% in Pennsylvania.

Coal’s share of U.S. electricity production slipped to 15% in 2024, and for the first time last year, wind and solar outpaced coal in the sector.

West Virginia remains the second most U.S. producer of coal, behind Wyoming.