Rising hydropower generation likely to hit China’s thermal coal demand

摘要

China’s thermal coal demand may see downwardpressure from increased hydropower output in the summer whenelectricity and coal consumption peaks, according to a weekly reportby Beijing-based Dexin Yongming Consultation Friday.By the end of March, the combined installed capacity of China’shydropower plants — each with an installed capacity of at least 6 MW— totaled 280 GW, up 5% year on year, according to figures from the National Energy Administration. In the first quarter, the utilization rate ofhydropower units across the country averaged 691 hours, the highest inthe last 10 years, and up 82 hours, or 13.5%, from a year earlier.