China, the world's second-biggest energy consumer, has ordered
state-owned coal mines to expand production as factories reopen
after the Lunar New Year holidays and increase demand
for electricity.
"As the industrial and agricultural sectors resumed production
after the holidays, China is facing further potential thermal coal
shortages," the Beijing-based National Development and Reform
Commission said yesterday. China shut seven percent of its
coal-fired power plants last month as the heaviest snowfalls in
half a century hampered transportation.
The country burns coal for 78 percent of its electricity. Asian
benchmark prices for the fuel at Australia's Newcastle port rose to
a record for a fourth week to US$139.16 a ton last week, according
to Bloomberg News, as floods cut deliveries in Queensland.
Up to 170 Chinese cities have had blackouts as snowstorms
paralyzed power grids and delayed coal delivery, the commission
said yesterday, without giving details. Electricity demand
rebounded "rapidly" after factories resumed production following
the holidays, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.
Guangzhou has ordered high energy-consuming users including
factories to halt production as a worsening power shortage
threatens residential supplies, Xinhua said.
(Shanghai Daily February 21, 2008)
