In 2010, the average cost of baseload electricity generated with natural gas was 47 percent more expensive than electricity generated with coal. The production cost of coal-fueled generation averaged approximately $33 per megawatt-hour, compared to almost $49 per megawatt-hour for combined cycle natural gas.
FERC Form 1 data for 2010. These figures represent the production costs for electricity generation, which include fuel and non-fuel operating expenses plus maintenance costs.