Coal news and updates

China’s Zhejiang approves new US$1.1 billion coal-fired power plant

The eastern Chinese coastal province of Zhejiang has approved the construction of a new 7 billion yuan (US$1.10 billion) coal-fired power plant with 2 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity, the state firm in charge of the project said on Wednesday (Feb 8).

The Zhejiang Energy Group said the Phase 2 Project of the Liuheng Power Plant would consist of two highly efficient “ultra-supercritical” units and would help balance energy supply and demand in the province.

The group said the new project would also serve Zhejiang’s low-carbon transition by boosting efficiency, with generation rates at 254 grams of coal per kilowatt-hour, much lower than the national average of 302.5 grams.

China has been under fire for continuing to approve new coal plants. The world’s biggest source of climate-warming greenhouse gas will not cut coal use until after 2025, according to a pledge by President Xi Jinping last year.

Researchers with the State Grid Corporation expect another 150 GW of new coal-fired power capacity to be built over the 2021-2025 period, bringing the total to 1,230 GW.