The Shanxi Provincial Energy Bureau held a meeting on September 13 to advance thermal coal supply and price stability work, according to a statement released by the bureau on its official Wechat account.

Since the Changzhi coal mine accident, safety inspections across Shanxi have been unprecedentedly strict, slowing the restart of mines halted by the accident, with some mines resuming and then suspending production again.

Sxcoal survey data showed that as of September 14, 49 coal mines in Shanxi remained suspended, involving capacity of 52.70 million tonnes. Although most of these suspended mines primarily produce coking coal, mines producing mainly thermal coal have also faced constrained capacity release due to the closure of concealed working faces, dismissal of outsourced workers and strict safety checks.

However, as safety inspections gradually become routine, the pace of mine restarts in Shanxi has accelerated somewhat. This is particularly true in Changzhi, where local authorities have repeatedly called for "orderly resumption of coal mine production".

A meeting of Shanxi city mayors on July 25 also stressed the need to combat illegal and irregular coal mine production while advancing rectification, acceptance and resumption of temporarily suspended mines on a mine-by-mine basis, and orderly promoting approved capacity increases and stable production in the coal industry.

Sxcoal data showed that in the week of September 3-9, capacity utilization at 160 surveyed coal mines in the three key producing provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia was 87.4%, up 3.38 percentage points from the previous week and the highest in eight weeks. In Shanxi alone, capacity utilization at surveyed mines was 78.04%, up 4.53 percentage points from the prior period.

But the removal of off-book output and the deterrent effect of safety inspections continued to weigh on thermal coal supply, as reflected in lower volumes on the Daqin line. In the first half of this year, the Daqin line completed 203.76 million tonnes of cargo transport, up 7.96% year on year. Volume fell to 31.53 million tonnes in July, down 0.82% from a year earlier, and further declined to 30.91 million tonnes in August, down 4.30%.

Daqin Railway Co., Ltd. said at its 2026 interim results briefing on September 10 that the decline of coal output in Shanxi has put short-term pressure on coal transport demand.

In response, the meeting required all cities and relevant enterprises to firmly implement the decisions of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, earnestly carry out provincial party committee and government requirements on thermal coal supply, and firmly shoulder the political responsibility for energy supply.

The meeting called for coordinating safety and production, coordinating supply resources of groups and within city jurisdictions, making every effort to ensure stable thermal coal supply, firmly safeguarding the bottom line of energy use for livelihoods, consolidating the foundation of energy security and providing solid support for high-quality economic and social development across the province.

The meeting also reported on the fulfillment of thermal coal supply contracts this year. Relevant city energy bureaus, coal enterprises and power enterprises reported on coal production and thermal coal supply, and pledged to do a good job in the next stage of thermal coal supply work.