China’s fossil power sees first yearly decline in a decade
China’s coal-heavy thermal power generation declined in 2025 for the first time in 10 years, as soaring renewable output met rising electricity demand, according to government data released Monday.
The National Bureau of Statistics said thermal power production fell 1% last year to 6.29 trillion kWh, dipping 3.2% year-on-year in December. The drop comes even as national power consumption hit a record, climbing 5% to more than 10 trillion kWh for the first time, driven by rapid growth in digital services and electric vehicle manufacturing, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Hydropower and nuclear helped fill the gap, with hydropower up 2.8% in 2025 and nuclear output rising 7.7%. Analysts say the shift reflects momentum in China’s decarbonisation push as Beijing targets peak emissions by 2030, though coal production itself climbed to a new high last year.
Thermal power is unlikely to regain momentum in 2026 as renewable deployment continues to accelerate, industry observers say.
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