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China will stop building thermal power plants
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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In China, the government has decided to temporarily halt the construction of new thermal power plants that run on coal. In addition, construction of some thermal power plants that have already received permission to build will be halted. The ban will be in effect until 2018, but it is quite possible that the authorities will decide to extend it. Such measures have become necessary because the country has a fairly high level of pollution.
In China, the maximum permissible levels of harmful emissions into the atmosphere have been exceeded, the air quality is extremely poor, which is why thousands of residents die every day across the country. Chinese officials have presented their intention to improve the environmental situation in the country in the form of directives. Earlier, the authorities decided to close thousands of coal mines across the country, which was officially announced, and the decision to temporarily stop building new thermal power plants is the next step in improving the environmental situation. The new regulation will affect 200 thermal power plants, including those that are at the stage of obtaining a construction permit, and those that have already been approved but have not yet begun construction.
The coal-fired power plants that were planned would have been able to produce more than 100 gigawatts of power each year. Today, China consumes more than 5 billion tons of coal (more than any other country).
Most recently, the authorities intended to increase coal energy production, but after the Paris meeting, officials decided to change their strategy. Representatives from 170 countries took part in the meeting in France, which as a result of the discussions signed an agreement on reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere and switching to renewable energy. At the meeting, Chinese representatives said that in 4 years the country will refuse to use coal.
China is undoubtedly the world's largest emitter of harmful emissions today, and the country's emissions are expected to peak within 15 years.
Construction of new thermal power plants near major cities was suspended due to restrictions and the economic crisis, as a result of which wind and solar energy received more investment, which in turn affected the reduction of coal consumption in the country. But according to the statement of Greenpeace representative Mr. Milivirt, despite the fact that coal has lost its popularity in China, large energy companies continue to design and build coal power plants, and at an accelerated pace. Milivirt also noted that all decisions taken by the authorities will not affect power plants whose construction has already begun. According to some data, the new power plants will produce about 200 gigawatts of capacity.
The refusal to build new coal-fired power plants is undoubtedly a positive step, but it is not enough to significantly affect the current situation in the country, which is getting worse day by day.