Shanxi ramping up coal production to ensure energy

Shanxi, China's major coal producing province, has made remarkable contributions to ensuring energy security in the country while accelerating efforts to unleash its coal production capacity, said Zhang Jifu, the province's executive vice-governor.

The province has worked tirelessly this year to accomplish a mandate from central authorities to increase coal output, the official said at a group interview on Tuesday on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

On the premise of safe production, the province has sped up its capacity release and enhanced transportation support, he said. Thanks to the efforts, Shanxi saw 977 million metric tons of coal produced from January to September, up 10.5 percent from the same period last year.

A total of almost 92.4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity was transmitted out of the province during the time, 12.7 percent more than in the first nine months of 2021, he added.

"Currently, coal production capacity in Shanxi is adequately mobilized with abundant capacity reserved. There is ample power supply as well," he said. "We assure the public that we have the confidence, capability and determination to perform well in increasing production to ensure energy supply."

Zhang also vowed that Shanxi will step up efforts to utilize coal as raw materials other than fuel, as the province promotes industrial transformation to boost high-quality development.

The province will upgrade its industries with traditional advantages and boost the development of strategic emerging sectors as it strives to establish an industrial structure with multiple pillar industries instead of heavily depending on coal, he said.