The National Business Daily reported that power plants in Southeastern China’s Jiangxi province are seeking to purchase coal overseas to supplement stocks and avoid massive power shortage ahead of the summer peak.

The report cited one official from the Provincial Power Fuel Corp as saying that local Power plants are purchasing coal mainly from Indonesia as well as Australia, Russia and South Africa to build up stocks and adjust coal quality, because of insufficient domestic supply.

The report said that the imported coal is firstly shipped to Wenzhou, Ningbo and Nantong ports, and then railed to plants in Jiangxi, , adding the cost averagely is CNY 100 per tonne higher than domestic supplies. In 2011, Jiangxi would have to rely on other provinces or overseas suppliers for 70% of its power coal demand, nearly 1/3 of which would be imported coal or even 50% and more in some areas. Jiangxi province, which mainly purchases coal from Shanxi and Shaanxi, now finds it hard to get supplies, due to transport constraints and rush buying in China.

It also buys coal from Henan and Anhui provinces, which however are prioritizing supplies for local power generation.

(Sourced from en.sxcoal.com)