BNSF CEO sees global coal demand high for next several years

CHICAGO, July 24 (Reuters) - Global demand for coal should remain high for the next few years, the top executive of No. 2 U.S. railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp (BNI.N) said on Thursday.

Chief Executive Matt Rose told Reuters in a telephone interview that all indications show that demand will "continue to outstrip supply for the next several years at least."

BNSF's CEO also said that with global demand taking a rising volume of Appalachian coal abroad, "more and more East Coast utilities" will look to use more low-cost coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. BNSF and No. 1 U.S. railroad Union Pacific Corp (UNP.N) are the only railroads that serve the basin.

(Reporting by Nick Carey, editing by Phil Berlowitz)