China's Thermal Power Generation Growth Slows for a Third Straight Month
Time:2026-07-23 13:44:43 Source:
China's thermal power generation growth slowed for the third consecutive month in June, as weaker electricity demand and stronger generation from hydropower and other clean energy sources continued to reduce coal-fired power output.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), thermal power generation totaled 497.95 TWh in June, up 0.5% YoY and 5.4% MoM, with the annual growth rate slowing by 1.6 percentage points from May. Data from the National Energy Administration (NEA) showed that China's total electricity consumption increased 3.7% YoY in June, down 3.2 percentage points from the previous month.
For the first half of 2026, China's cumulative thermal power generation reached 2,028.24 TWh, up 2.9% YoY, with the growth rate narrowing by 0.5 percentage points from the January-May period.
The slowdown in June was mainlydriven by weaker electricity demand. Although the national average temperature was slightly above normal, high temperatures arrived later than usual across much of central and eastern China, while persistent rainfall delayed the end of the rainy season in the Yangtze River basin, limiting residential cooling demand. Meanwhile, slower economic growth and ongoing industrial restructuring kept industrial electricity consumption relatively subdued.
On the supply side, improving hydropower output further displaced coal-fired generation. Inflows and outflows at the Three Gorges Reservoir increased 22.3% and 30.8% YoY, respectively, while nuclear and solar power generation continued to expand.
Top Thermal Power Producing Provinces
(June 2026)
Guangdong: 51.26 TWh (+19.7% YoY)
Inner Mongolia: 49.77 TWh (-1.6% YoY)
Jiangsu: 42.33 TWh (+2.5% YoY)
Shandong: 35.67 TWh (-5.8% YoY)
Xinjiang: 29.66 TWh (+4.6% YoY)
(January-June 2026)
Inner Mongolia: 276.38 TWh (+2.5% YoY)
Guangdong: 268.90 TWh (+14.8% YoY)
Jiangsu: 253.66 TWh (+11.6% YoY)
Shandong: 227.06 TWh (+0.4% YoY)
Xinjiang: 194.63 TWh (+5.0% YoY)
Zhejiang: 168.88 TWh (+7.1% YoY)
Looking ahead, above-normal temperatures are forecast across most parts of China in July. As power demand continues to rise during the summer peak season, thermal power generation is expected to recover, supported by stronger cooling demand and tighter power supply conditions. However, the pace of recovery will still depend on hydropower availability and continued growth in renewable generation.
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