Lack of coal causes power cuts in five central provinces
Five provinces and cities in the central mainland are facing power shortages due to a lack of coal. Central China Grid Company said supplies at 25 coal power plants were at a critical level, according to a Xinhua report.
The company, which supplies power to Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Chongqing and Jiangxi, said it had seen a sharp drop in coal stocks since the end of last month, with stocks dropping by 100,000 tonnes a day.
The coal shortage had forced several power plants to stop generators this month, resulting in supply shortages across the grid. The report said Hubei had started controlling electricity supply since Friday and Sichuan had reduced capacity by 20 gigawatts since January 5. Henan is the only part of the grid yet to be affected.
Continuous days of heavy snow were also causing demand to spike.
Meanwhile, coal shortages are also affecting power generation in Guizhou , a key electricity supplier for Guangdong. Guizhou is expected to have a power deficit of up to 3.5GW this year, according to a statement posted on the website of China Southern Power Grid.
The province has had to cut supplies to some of its own energy-intensive industries. More than 4GW of generating capacity had been shut down since the fourth quarter of last year after coal stocks fell sharply, the statement said. The grid has reduced power outflows to Guangdong from Guizhou by 50 gigawatt hours a day to boost local supply.
