Coal power in China

[6] The think tank Carbon Tracker estimated in 2020 that the average coal fleet loss was about 4 USD/MWh and that about 60% of power stations were cashflow negative in 2018 and 2019.

[11] A 2021 study estimated that all coal power plants could be shut down by 2040, by retiring them at the end of their financial lifetime.

[16] This was followed up in January 2017 when the NEA canceled a further 103 coal power plants, eliminating 120 GW of future coal-fired capacity, despite the resistance of local authorities mindful of the need to create jobs.

[24]: 70  Major coal-producing provinces like Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi instituted administrative caps on coal output.

[24]: 70  The NDRC responded by relaxing some environmental standards and the government allowed coal-fired power plants to defer tax payments.

[24]: 72 In 2023, The Economist wrote that ‘Building a coal plant, whether it is needed or not, is also a common way for local governments to boost economic growth.’ and that ‘They don’t like depending on each other for energy.