Coal prices in turmoil

Cases of electricity shortages have been a major concern for companies in China recently. The Chinese system of largely fixed electricity prices seemed inadequate to cushion fluctuations in the price of coal. But China's powerful National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) proved once again that it can intervene effectively in acute imbalances: The NDRC applied a combination of market-oriented liberalization steps and direct government market intervention, thus lowering the coal price within a short period of time and stabilizing the market, Sinolytics analyzes.

Last updated: 24. July 2025