On Thursday, the superior authority issued a document on coal reserve documents for 2021, requiring downstream power plants to speed up replenishment and increase the number of days available for coal storage in the off-season to more than 20 days, striving for 30 days. Downstream power plants have taken active actions to send more ships to the northern port to pull coal. It is expected that the number of ships will increase in the follow-up forecast.
As of now, key power plants nationwide have stored 55.3 million tons of coal, and the number of days available for coal storage has been 13 days; power plants in eight coastal provinces have stored 22.8 million tons of coal, and the number of days available for coal storage remains at 12.5 days. In addition, the coal storage of the six major power plants along the coast has fallen below 14 million tons, of which 28% of the power plants have only about 7 days of coal storage. Although it is currently in the low coal season, civil power load performance is mediocre; however, the industrial power load has achieved excellent performance. Since the beginning of March, the daily consumption of power plants has been operating at a high level. After entering April, although some units of the power plant started to be overhauled, the units that were still in operation were operating at full capacity, and their daily consumption was not inferior to that at the peak of coal consumption. At present, domestic industrial and commercial production and economic and social activities continue to improve. The demand for electricity and coal in the non-electricity industry is strong. The daily consumption of power plants in the eight coastal provinces has continued to remain above 1.8 million tons. The mid-to-high level is hovering between 700,000 tons.
At present, the rainfall in the south is not high, the role of clean energy power generation is not obvious, the thermal power is increased, and the inventory consumption of power plants is accelerating. Judging from the coal consumption of power plants this week, it is only about 5% lower than the peak in late March, but surpassed the level of the same period in 19 and 18, but the inventory is far behind. At present, coal storage in key power plants nationwide has decreased by nearly 20 million tons compared with the same period last year, while coal storage in the six coastal power plants has decreased by 1.6 million tons compared with the same period last year. Most of the domestic inland and coastal power plants can store coal for around 12 to 3 days, and a small number of power plants can store coal for 7 days. The standard available days of coal storage for power plants under various calibers should be 15-20 days; summer is approaching, and the power plant’s inventory is too low, and it is difficult to guarantee the safety of unit operation.The task of replenishing the library is very arduous.
The superior authorities held two guarantee meetings within a week, demonstrating the importance and urgency of ensuring supply, increasing transportation and stabilizing prices. The hot weather in the south this year is expected to arrive ahead of schedule, and hydropower generation is likely to be lower than the same period last year. With the accelerated recovery of industrial power, the thermal power in coastal areas has increased, and the time left for power plants to replenish the storage is getting shorter and shorter. At present, whether it is the upstream mine, the shipping port, the second port, and the downstream power plants, the coal storage in each link is at a moderate or low level. Under the situation of stricter security inspections and environmental protection supervision, it is not easy to guarantee the supply.
Beginning on Wednesday, the coastal coal market turned strong, downstream terminal demand increased, price acceptance increased significantly, and transaction prices jumped; shippers were unwilling to lower based on current cost and profit consideration Some traders suspend quotations and actively hoard coal, waiting for further increases in coal prices. This has also contributed to the increase in port coal prices to a certain extent. (This article is an exclusive report by Ordos Coal Net, please indicate the source for reprinting, thank you!)
