China Meets Target to Close Obsolete Coal Plants

27 July 2010 (Last Updated July 27th, 2010 18:30)

The Chinese Government has successfully met its annual target for the closure of obsolete and inefficient coal-fired power plants. A total of 468 facilities with a combined generating capacity of 10.71GW were closed by 15 July 2010, according to China's National Energy Administration.

The Chinese Government has successfully met its annual target for the closure of obsolete and inefficient coal-fired power plants.

A total of 468 facilities with a combined generating capacity of 10.71GW were closed by 15 July 2010, according to China’s National Energy Administration.

During the 11th Five Year Plan period (2006-2010), the government has forced the closure of 70.77GW of small scale coal-fired capacity.

The plants would have used 81Mta of coal emitting 164Mta of CO2 and 1.4Mta of SO2 if they had remained in operation.

The closures are part of a national goal to reduce the carbon intensity of the Chinese economy per unit of GDP by 40-45% by 2020 from the 2005 level.

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