Release of EIA coal data for April 2004 confirms accuracy of Genscape data

Louisville, 4 August – Shortly after releasing the February and March coal use data by power plants, the EIA released its April figures, which again confirmed the accuracy of the estimates published weekly by Genscape.

For the entire fleet of 116 coal plants monitored by Genscape, the Genscape estimated figure was 1pc above the EIA figure for April. For January and February, the Genscape total was 4pc below the EIA figures, while March was 0.28pc above.

In the coal-heavy east north central region, which includes the Ohio Valley, Genscape’s April estimates exactly matched those of the EIA for the second month running. In the other regions, the maximum March discrepancy was 11 percent.

Genscape’s coal data is calculated using real-time observations from the 116 coal-fired plants and published weekly on Friday for the previous seven days in the Weekly Coal Burn Report. Genscape compares its calculated estimates with the EIA data collected from those same plants once that data is available.

The plants monitored by Genscape represent 49pc of total coal-fired capacity in the United States. The coal use estimates from that sample shows a correlation of more than 95pc with the total coal amount for all plants reported by the EIA.

Monthly discrepancy between Genscape and EIA data

	January	February	March	April
Mid-Atlantic	0%	-3%	-7%	-4%
East North Central	5%	7%	0%	0%
West North Central	8%	12%	7%	11%
South Atlantic	1%	3%	0%	2%
East South Central	-3%	-6%	-6%	-6%
West South Central	1%	1%	0%	3%
Mountain	3%	3%	1%	0%
Entire Fleet	4%	4%	0%	1%

Genscape launched the Weekly Coal Burn Report in May of this year. This is the second time that the EIA releases coal use data after the launch of the report.

ABOUT GENSCAPE

Genscape’s information gathering and distribution system consists of technology to monitor the real-time power output of power plants and load on high-voltage transmission lines. Information reported to customers includes highly accurate estimates of the real-time power output for generating facilities, power flows over strategic transmission paths, and associated information.

Genscape Inc. is the only company to have commercialized the provision of real-time power supply information to support decision-making for energy traders, power plant and line owners and operators, regulators, and other energy market participants. Genscape maintains a 45 person staff and an international headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.