Most of the coal that's used in Pennsylvania is for electricity and the steel industry, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But there is a group of people using anthracite coal in ways that were popular last century, for home heat and cooking.
Boyd Kreglow is President and CEO of Blaschak’s Coal, one of many manufacturers in Schuylkill County.
“Ultra high-grade anthracite is found maybe five places in the world," Kreglow said. "But the two best places in the world: Eastern Pennsylvania and Russia.”
But the U.S. and other countries banned Russian imports in March 2022, causing a boom for Blaschak's.
“It created a significant interest in Pennsylvania anthracite from around the world. We are being contacted by companies all over the world. Prior to 2012 and 2013, we used to ship more into Europe, more anthracite, and then Russia was doing more of that, it made it difficult for us to compete there.”
The increase in demand has caused prices to spike for Balschak’s home heating customers. Higher operating costs and the use of coal for other markets have an impact, too.
"In 2019, our high price in home heating was about 165 (dollars), 2020 was about the same," he said. "And now, we're just under 300 dollars for home heating."
The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that natural gas, electricity, propane, and heating oil prices will be lower this year than last.
Still, coal is the least expensive resource in comparison. Balshak's coal has a Fuel Cost Calculator that helps people determine how much money they'd save if they switched to coal.
It’s the amount of work it takes to maintain a coal fire that’s persuaded people to switch over the years.
Heating
Bobby Moucheron burns about 12 tons of anthracite coal a year to heat his business, M&M Redzone Sports Bar in Mahanoy City.
The coal stove burns 24/7 in his basement. He orders two tons at a time, which are deposited into his basement via a chute. Then, they have to carry buckets full of the coal to the hopper, so it's ready to burn when his coal stove needs more coal.
“The pipes will feed the radiators, which will heat the building, and then there’s other pipes that feed the hot water," he said.
He says it’s a pain if the fire goes out and he has to restart it. Over the winter, someone needs to clear the ashes almost daily.
Moucheron is used to this. He maintained the coal stove at home growing up.
The convenience of natural gas and oil caused a decline in coal for home heat since the 1950s. Moucheron’s grandfather opened this bar around then and the heat source has remained the same.
“And you get a lot more time out of it,” he said. “Oil seems to go down pretty quick, I have oil at home, so that seems to go down really quick compared to coal. As much as there is manual work to it, it’s cost saving.”
Coal-Fired Pizza
Vito Valenti owns Vito’s Coal-Fired Pizza and Restaurant in St. Clair. It's located in the Coal Creek Commerce Center, owned by Reading Anthracite.
“This area where the shopping center was built was mined for 100 years," Valenti said.
Coal mining history is on the walls and the coal-fired pizza oven is the centerpiece in this modern space. The heat radiates from behind the counter.
“And what makes it really nice is when we put pepperoni and mushrooms or whatever on it, it may caramelize some of that, because the heat is so intense," Valenti said. "And it has a smokiness to it."
He says their recipe includes special flour and cheese with a higher tolerance for heat.
The pizza staff keeps the fire burning throughout the day, a small way the business is maintaining the industry that built many communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
