China April coal output falls 1 percent to 385.6 million tons
China produced 385.63 million metric tons of coal in April, a 1% decline from the previous year despite a 3.1% rise in thermal electricity generation. Total output for the first four months of 2026 reached 1.58 billion tons as imports also saw a significant year-on-year decrease.
China coal production fell 1% to 385.63 million metric tons in April, down 12.5% from March's record high. Output over the first four months of 2026 declined 0.1% year-on-year, signaling a tightening market. Thermal power generation rose despite the coal supply contraction, widening the fuel availability gap.
### Production Drops Despite Rising Power Demand China produced 1.58 billion metric tons of coal over the first four months of the year, a 0.1% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed this slowdown occurred even as thermal electricity generation, which relies primarily on coal, rose 3.1% in April. Year-to-date thermal power production is up 3.6%.
