China permits two new coal power plants per week in 2022

A February 2023 briefing by Global Energy Monitor reporting a dramatic acceleration in coal power plant permitting and construction in China during 2022, driven by peak load increases and regional energy security concerns, despite record clean energy additions.

• China experienced a significant surge in coal power project activity in 2022, with 106 GW of new capacity permitted—the highest level since 2015—and 50 GW starting construction, a more than 50% increase from 2021. The capacity starting construction in China was six times larger than the rest of the world combined.
• The acceleration of coal projects was most prominent in the provinces of Guangdong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Hubei. In Guangdong, 10 new megaprojects approved in the second half of 2022 were not included in the province's March 2022 five-year plan on energy.
• Increased electric peak loads, which rose by 230 GW between 2020 and 2022 due to intense heat waves and higher air conditioner prevalence, have driven the development of coal plants as a sub-optimal solution for meeting demand in major centers.
• Provinces justify new coal plants as "supporting" capacity for grid stability and renewable integration, but evidence suggests they are intended for baseload use. In Guangdong, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Hubei, over 75% of total power generation growth came from thermal power.
• China added a record 125 GW of solar and wind capacity in 2022 (87 GW solar and 38 GW wind), covering half of the 3.6% demand growth. However, this growth is insufficient to replace fossil fuels entirely due to accelerating electricity demand.
• Coal plant retirements slowed in 2022, with 4.1 GW closed compared to 5.2 GW in 2021. This is attributed to policy changes that allow "outdated" plants to be retrofitted or converted into backup plants.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2023). China permits two new coal power plants per week in 2022. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/China-permits-two-new-coal-power-plants-per-week-in-2022_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. China permits two new coal power plants per week in 2022. 2023. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/China-permits-two-new-coal-power-plants-per-week-in-2022_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=China permits two new coal power plants per week in 2022 |date=February 2023 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/China-permits-two-new-coal-power-plants-per-week-in-2022_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2023china, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{China permits two new coal power plants per week in 2022}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/China-permits-two-new-coal-power-plants-per-week-in-2022_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }