China has observed a substantial increase in heating and power demand entering the cold December, particularly in the northern regions that were recently hit by widespread snowfalls.

 

Relevant authorities has closely monitored coal inventory levels and leveraged the advantages of a nationwide railway network to ensure smooth and efficient coal transportation.

 

Daqin railway, a major channel for China's West-to-East coal delivery, transported a cumulative 16.65 million tonnes of coal this month to December 14, a 7.7% increase year on year, according to Sxcoal's data.

 

The railway's shipping volume accounts for one-fifth of the country's total railway coal shipments.

 

Adequate coal stocks of over 27 million tonnes at the three northern ports of Qinhuangdao, Jingtang and Caofeidian have helped ensure the coal needs of power plants.

 

Xiangzhou North station, located in central China's Hubei, serves as a major coal transit hub for North-to-South coal transportation on the Haoji railway.

 

The station has continuously improved transportation efficiency, enabling the delivery of one power coal train every six minutes.

 

Haoji railway has also planned and constructed 18 dedicated lines to transport coal directly to power plants, coal ports, and chemical plants in Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi. Currently, seven of these dedicated lines are operational. This enables more scientific, efficient, and organized production operations for heating and power utilities.

 

Recent cold wave added pressure on power coal demand in parts of northeastern China. Yimin rail line is a crucial route for outbound coal shipment from Hulunbuir in eastern Inner Mongolia. It connects the Yimin open-cut mining area and shoulders the transportation of 35 million tonnes of coal.

 

China Railway Harbin Group has operated heavy-haul trains and optimized interval running speeds to prioritize direct coal transportation from eastern Inner Mongolia to northeastern China.

 

To address the urgent coal needs of 45 power plants in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China Railway Beijing Group's freight centers have closely tracked coal inventories, daily consumption, coal arrival and unloading, ensuring power plants to have coal stocks for 20 days of usage.

 

Shanhaiguan station, a vital railway hub connecting northeastern and northern China, dispatches over 70,000 tonnes of coal each day to power plants and steel companies. Entering winter, the station has increased coal shipment by nearly 1.1 million tonnes compared to last year.

 

Sichuan and Chongqing in southwestern China have also experienced significant growth in coal demand. Since December, the railway department has doubled the number of coal trains to ensure the coal inventory at local power plants.

 

China Railway Shanghai Group has operated coal-dedicated trains to directly transport coal to Huainan Luoneng power plant. Additionally, the group has also met the coal demand of power plants by fully utilizing the coal storage capabilities of ports and enhancing rail-waterway transport efficiency.