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Surging coal prices are translating into the latest attack on consumer's wallets.
Despite West Virginia being coal rich, the international demand for coal is driving up prices used to produce electricity in the Mountain State.
For West Virginia coal producers the per-ton price has increased from 40 dollars a ton to nearly 90 dollars a ton.
That means electric rates will be increasing soon.
Energy research firm Global Insight expects rates to rise by nearly 6 percent nationally this year, but another analyst predicts the rising price for coal will boost retail electric rates by 69 percent by 2015. | 
