China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and National Energy Administration (NEA) have unveiled a special action plan for the new generation of coal-fired power, which notably allows the construction of new coal-fired power plants in China until at least 2027. Coal-fired power plants will be allowed to be built in Chinese regions where they are needed to meet peak power demand or stabilise the grid.
The plan states that newly built coal power plants should have 10% to 20% lower CO2 emissions per unit of power output than the 2024 fleet, and also calls for upgrades to some existing coal plants to meet those conditions.
As of end- 2024, coal-fired power represented 37% of China’s installed capacity but 60% of its power generation. These shares have been on a downward trend, and China had previously announced plans to phase out coal use during the 2026-2030 period.
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