[SMM Coal Flash] WIKA Supports PTBA Coal Logistics Expansion Through New Train Loading Stations

The U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement approved a mining permit for the “No Name” area at Navajo Mine. The permit boundary covers 11,526 acres and authorises surface mining and reclamation operations across 9,042 acres, allowing the recovery of approximately 503 million tons of coal. At a mining rate of 5 million to 15 million tons per year, depending on demand, the permit could extend the mine’s life by more than 100 years to 2136. However, the 503 million tons represent authorised recoverable coal rather than an immediate increase in market supply. Navajo Mine is operated by Navajo Transitional Energy Company, which is owned by the Navajo Nation. The mine currently supplies coal to the Four Corners Power Plant, operated by Arizona Public Service.

SNT Energy announced on 2 September that it had signed a contract with Korea South-East Power Co., Ltd. to supply heat recovery steam generators for the Hadong LNG combined-cycle power plant. The contract is valued at approximately KRW 128.2 billion and runs from September 2026 to December 2029. SNT Energy will form a consortium with Doosan Enerbility and will be responsible for supplying the heat recovery steam generators, a core component of the combined-cycle plant. The project is intended to replace the aging Hadong coal-fired Units 2 and 3 with a new high-efficiency LNG combined-cycle power plant, but their formal retirement date, the commissioning date of the new gas-fired plant, current coal consumption, or the volume of coal demand expected to be displaced is not being disclosed yet.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported coal production of 10.953 million short tons for the week ending August 29, 2026, up approximately 3.4% from 10.595 million short tons in the previous week and 2.5% from 10.686 million short tons in the corresponding week of 2025. Year-to-date U.S. coal production reached 341.383 million short tons, remaining 2.4% below the 349.951 million short tons produced during the same period of 2025. Western production totaled 6.072 million short tons during the week, accounting for approximately 55.4% of national output. Appalachian and Interior production stood at 3.274 million and 1.607 million short tons, respectively. Wyoming was the largest individual state producer listed in the article, with weekly output of 4.624 million short tons.