China News Agency, Beijing, August 16 (Reporter Wang Enbo) In response to the rising power consumption in China this summer, Jin Xiandong, director of the Political Research Office of China's National Development and Reform Commission and spokesman, said on the 16th that the main body of local and enterprise energy supply will be further compacted. Responsibility, accelerate the release of advanced coal production capacity and output, focus on the performance of medium and long-term thermal coal contracts, and ensure the security of energy and power supply.

  Jin Xiandong said at the press conference of the National Development and Reform Commission on the same day that since the beginning of summer this year, China's electricity demand has continued to rise due to factors such as persistent large-scale high-temperature weather and economic recovery. Coal supply security continues to face greater pressure.

From August 1st to 14th, the average daily coal consumption of power plants under unified control nationwide was 8.16 million tons, an increase of 15% over the same period of the previous year; among them, the coal consumption on August 3 was 8.49 million tons, a record high.

  Jin Xiandong said that in response to the new situation and new problems of coal use this summer, the National Development and Reform Commission, in accordance with the deployment of the State Council's video and telephone conference on the work of ensuring energy supply during peak summer, will strengthen overall coordination with relevant departments to guide and urge relevant localities and enterprises to speed up the release of advanced coal production capacity. Make every effort to do a good job in the signing and performance of medium and long-term thermal coal contracts, focus on strengthening transportation guarantees, and promote thermal coal supply guarantees to achieve positive results.

  In the first half of the year, China's coal output increased by 11%; since July, the national average daily coal output has been at a relatively high level of about 12.4 million tons; recently, the coal storage in power plants under unified control has reached a maximum of 175 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 74 million tons; , the medium- and long-term contracts for thermal coal have generally achieved full coverage.

  In response to the next step of increasing coal production and ensuring supply, Jin Xiandong revealed that all coal-producing provinces and regions have signed a letter of responsibility for coal safety and supply, and the government will guide and urge the implementation of tasks such as coal production and thermal coal supply.

At the same time, we will speed up the procedures for production capacity approval and increase verification, coordinate and solve outstanding problems in a timely manner, and promote the accelerated release of advanced production capacity.

  In addition, the National Development and Reform Commission will also pay close attention to the supervision of the performance of medium and long-term thermal coal contracts, organize and carry out performance verification in a timely manner, and conduct regular inspections of non-performance cases to ensure that contract performance is in place.

Strengthen the medium and long-term contractual transportation guarantee for thermal coal, optimize the dispatch organization, maximize the efficiency of railway transportation, and ensure the transportation of thermal coal as much as possible.

(Finish)