Natural gas became the largest source of electricity in the U.S. for the first time this year, according to a report by SNL Energy. Via the Associated Press, approximately 31% of electric power generation in April was attributable to natural gas, compared to 30% from coal. The amount of electricity generated by natural gas increased by 21% year-over-year in April.
Power generation companies have been preparing for a shift to natural gas in recent years, retiring coal-fired power plants and switching to natural gas based on commodity prices. The Obama Administration’s recently proposed rules for carbon emissions from new and existing power plants are seen as hastening the decline of coal-fired power in the U.S.
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