(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Plunging coal shipping volumes have sent BNSF Railway’s shipping volumes to numbers not seen since the 2007 Great Recession, and Berkshire’s own energy companies are partly responsible as they aggressively drop coal generation for cleaner forms of energy.
The numbers are stark. BNSF Railway’s year-to-date coal shipments are down 35.45% from 2015 levels.
Berkshire’s NV Energy plans to eliminate all of its coal-fired generation fleet in Nevada and will eliminate our coal resources in Southern Nevada by 2017 and in Northern Nevada by 2025.
Here Comes the Sun
The company cites the less than 4 cents a kilowatt-hour for large-scale solar contracts as the reason for the rapid pace.
NV Energy notes that it is creating a less carbon-intense energy supply for its customers, and is achieving that goal without raising the prices that its customers pay.
© 2016 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.