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There are a total of 3,092 operating coal-fired power plant units in China. As of January 2023, the province of Shandong, which lies to the south of Beijing, houses the highest number of coal power plants, at over 400 units. Beijing itself, meanwhile, does not have a single operational coal power plant within its municipality.

Coal and the industrial heartland

The coal producing provinces were also home to China’s heavy industry. Most coal plants were located in Shandong, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi, which were also home to the largest coal mines in the country. For logistical reasons, much of China’s heavy industry, such as steel production, was often located in the same provinces. Although the manufacturing and power industries were evolving, transforming China’s rust belt, coal still played an important role in the economy and the new coal power plants were still being built. Currently, Datang Tuoketue is the largest operational coal power plant in China. The power station is located in Inner Mongolia, and at 6.7 gigawatts, is also the largest coal power plant in the world.

The price of coal power 2

For the longest time, relying on coal power was the only option, and it was necessary to sustain life in many regions of China, but it came at a cost that the citizens and the environment had to pay. The northern regions were affected most because not only were they home to heavy industry, but the arid climate with icy winters led to heavy smog in many cities and regions. The air pollution created public resentment domestically and gave China a bad reputation overseas. Ultimately, the central and local governments began enforcing stricter emission regulations for factories and began phasing out coal heating for private households.