Utility-scale generation net of hydroelectric pumped storage increased 7.8% year over year in December 2022 to 363.6 million MWh, up 40.7 million MWh from a revised 323.0 million MWh in November 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's latest "Electric Power Monthly" released Feb. 27. For full-year 2022, utility-scale generation net of hydroelectric pumped storage increased 134.8 million MWh to 4.24 billion MWh, compared to 4.11 billion MWh in 2021.

Year-over-year gas-fired generation climbed 10.6% to 141.1 million MWh in December 2022, accounting for 38.8% of the net total. Meanwhile, coal-fired generation increased 21.9% versus the prior-year period to 73.2 million MWh, accounting for 20.1% of the nation's electricity.

Renewable output declined 1.8% over the same period to 74.3 million MWh, as a 15.5% jump in solar could not offset declines in conventional hydroelectric, wind and other renewables.

Utility-scale generation in full-year 2022 climbed 3.3% to 4.24 billion MWh, with coal supplying 19.5% of the nation's power and natural gas at a 39.8% share. During the year, renewable generation supplied 21.5% of the nation's power, compared with 19.8% a year earlier.

Over the same period, coal-fired generation declined 7.7% year over year to 829.0 million MWh, while gas-fired generation climbed 7.0% to 1.69 billion MWh. Meanwhile, renewable generation grew 12.0% to 912.9 million MWh.

Power-sector coal stockpiles fell by 4.0 million tons during the month, above the 10-year average draw of 546,253 tons. During the prior 10 years, December stockpile fluctuations versus the prior month have ranged from a draw of 8.4 million tons to a build of 9.0 million tons.

The EIA estimates that the December 2022 stockpile level of 90.0 million tons translates to 120 days of burn and 113 days of burn, respectively, for bituminous and sub-bituminous coal, 6.8% and 10.6% above the five-year averages for the month.

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