Coal Production Surges 2.8%, China's August Coal Output Exceeds 390 Million Tons, Power Generation Increases by 3.7%!

China's coal output rose 2.8 percent year on year in August due to improved coal-fired power generation and strong demand for coal from the chemical industry, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Sept. 14. China, the world's largest coal producer, mined 396.55 million tons of coal last month, up from 390.37 million tons in July, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

July was the hottest month on record in China, and the heat extended into August, leading to increased demand for electricity from households and businesses to use air conditioners. At the same time, hydropower generation slowed, prompting a return to growth in coal-fired power generation last month. Coal-fired power generation, which relies mainly on coal, rose 3.7% year-on-year to 614.9 billion KWH.

Hydropower generation grew 10.7 percent, up from 36.2 percent in July. Analysts pointed out that in addition to the power sector, coal to chemical industry demand for coal is also strong.

Affected by safety inspection measures earlier this year, coal output in the January-August period fell 0.3 percent year on year to a total of 3.05 billion tons, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.