By Erica Peterson
Western Kentucky – Western Kentucky coal production saw a 13 percent increase in 2010. This is according to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. William Watson leads the EIA's coal and uranium analysis team. He says it's cheaper to mine in western Kentucky. This region is part of the Illinois basin where high-sulfur coal is commonly found.
"A lot of the power plants now have sulfur dioxide scrubbers, so the idea is to buy the cheapest BTU. There's not as much need now to mix in low-sulfur coal as previously."
In eastern Kentucky, coal production declined by nearly 10 percent in 2010.