Western China to expand coal shipments to the eastern provinces
Shanghai. June 13. INTERFAX-CHINA - Western China's coal-rich regions, in particular Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, as well as the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, will expand coal shipments to eastern China during the 12th Five-Year Plan (FYP) period (2011-2015), state media reported June 13.
The government will increase investment in coal transportation railway lines over the next five years in support of the plan, Shanghai Securities News reported, citing a National Energy Agency (NEA) statement issued June 13.
Additionally, the NEA plans to consolidate the coal industry into 20 large firms over the next five years to improve industry efficiency.
With each large coal firm having an annual coal production capacity exceeding 50 million tons, these 20 firms would contribute approximately 60 percent of China's aggregate coal output yearly, according to the report.
The NEA forecast that China's 2015 coal output would top 3.79 billion tons, a 550 million ton increase from 2010.
-WV