China Coal Capacity Payment Mechanism
Introduction
In November 2023, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) published the coal capacity payment mechanism, which provides “guaranteed payments” per megawatt of available capacity to eligible coal power plants, effective January 1, 2024.[1]
The NDRC designed the mechanism with two primary objectives: 1) stabilizing revenue expectations for coal plants, and 2) enhancing dispatch compliance to improve overall grid reliability amid growing levels of variable power generation from renewables. Some analyses have argued that the mechanism, as currently designed, could have the effect of incentivizing the further build-out of new coal plants, as only coal plants – including new ones – are eligible for the payments, while alternatives such as batteries and flexible demand measures are excluded.[2]
The annual payment amounts to approximately 30% or 50% of the standard fixed costs for coal-fired power units, which are set at 330 yuan per kilowatt per year (yuan/kW/year). These payments are disbursed monthly to coal power plants. In provinces with higher shares of renewable energy (solar, wind, and biomass), including Chongqing, Henan, Hunan, Guangxi, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, the payment is higher, at 165 yuan/kW.[1] Beginning in 2026, the payment will increase to at least 50% of the standard fixed costs for coal-fired units, and to no less than 70% for provinces undergoing a rapid coal power transition.[3]
The capacity payment mechanism applies to compliantly-operating public coal-fired power units. It does not apply to captive power plants, coal-fired power units that do not conform to national planning, and coal-fired power units that do not meet national requirements for energy consumption, environmental protection, and flexible regulation capacity.
Global Energy Monitor's Global Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT) provides information on coal-fired power units worldwide generating 30 megawatts or more. The GCPT catalogues every operating coal-fired generating unit, every new unit proposed since 2010, and every unit retired since 2000.
The January 2025 GCPT release reflected publicly available capacity payment mechanism data for 12 provinces with unit-level lists in 2024. This wiki continues to be updated with additional provincial-level information. For example, the Guangxi Autonomous Region added four units to its list after the initial publication in 2024.
In 2025, Shanghai Power Exchange Center consecutively published capacity payment releases in the first three months.[4][5][6]
Capacity Payment Details by Province
Global Energy Monitor's latest bi-annual GCPT data for China is summarized by province here: capacity (MW), power stations, and units. The list of provinces is captured in the two tables below.
To share feedback or report an error found on this wiki page, please visit the GCPT error reporting form.
Provinces with capacity payment lists
| Province | Capacity Payment (Yuan/kW·Year) | Latest Known Update Date | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anhui | 100 | 2023/12/28 | [7] |
| Guangxi | 165 | 2024/09/11 | [8][9][10] |
| Hebei | 100 | 2025/01/24 | [11][12] |
| Henan | 165 | 2023/12/27 | [13] |
| Jilin | 100 | 2024/01/04 | [14] |
| Liaoning | 100 | 2025/01/15 | [15][16] |
| Qinghai | 165 | 2024/12/02 | [17] |
| Shandong | 100 | 2025/03/14 | [18][19][20] |
| Shanghai | 100 | 2024/03/18 | [21] |
| Tianjin | 100 | 2024/01/04 | [22] |
| Yunnan | 165 | 2024/02/02 | [23] |
| Zhejiang | 100 | 2025/01/13 | [24][25] |
Provinces without publicly available capacity payment lists
| Province | Capacity Payment (Yuan/kW·Year) | Date Last Searched | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [3] |
| Chongqing | 165 | 2025/04/28 | [26] |
| Fujian | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [27] |
| Gansu | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [28] |
| Guangdong | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [29] |
| Guizhou | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [30] |
| Hainan | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [31] |
| Heilongjiang | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [3] |
| Hubei | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [3] |
| Hunan | 165 | 2025/04/28 | [32] |
| Inner Mongolia | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [3] |
| Jiangsu | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [33] |
| Jiangxi | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [3] |
| Ningxia | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [34] |
| Shaanxi | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [35] |
| Shanxi | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [36] |
| Sichuan | 165 | 2025/04/28 | [37] |
| Xinjiang | 100 | 2025/04/28 | [38] |
Recommended resources
- [1] – China Power Enterprise Management New Media
- [2] – Regulatory Assistance Project
- [3] – Dialogue Earth
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "关于建立煤电容量电价机制的通知(发改价格〔2023〕1501号)", National Development and Reform Commission, November 10 2023
- ↑ Max Dupuy, Chi Gao, "Changing how coal power plants get paid: What’s next for policy in China," Regulatory Assistance Project, December 18 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "省级电网煤电容量电价表", National Development and Reform Commission, November 10 2023
- ↑ "2025年1月上海电网煤电容量电费相关结果公示", Shanghai Power Exchange Center, March 7 2025
- ↑ "2025年2月上海电网煤电容量电费相关结果公示", Shanghai Power Exchange Center, March 21 2025
- ↑ "2025年3月上海电网煤电容量电费相关结果公示", Shanghai Power Exchange Center, April 22 2025
- ↑ "安徽省发展改革委安徽省能源局关于贯彻落实煤电容量电价机制有关事项的通知", Chizhou Development and Reform Commission, December 28 2023
- ↑ "33台！广西适用煤电容量电价机制机组清单公示", Guangxi Development and Reform Commission, March 8 2024
- ↑ "广西公示新投运煤电机组适用煤电容量电价机制认定情况", Guangxi Autonomous Region Energy Administration, May 20 2024
- ↑ "新增2台机组！广西新投运煤电机组适用煤电容量电价机制认定情况公示", Guangxi Development and Reform Commission, September 11 2024
- ↑ "承德市发展和改革委员会文件", Chengde Development and Reform Commission, January 15 2024
- ↑ "石家庄市发展和改革委员会文件", Shijiazhuang Development and Reform Commission, January 24 2025
- ↑ "河南明确煤电容量电价机制有关事项：2024-2025年月度标准为13.75元/千瓦", Henan Development and Reform Commission, December 27 2023
- ↑ "吉林落实煤电容量电价机制有关事项通知", Chizhou Development and Reform Commission, January 4 2024
- ↑ "辽宁省印发关于建立煤电容量电价机制的通知", Liaoning Development and Reform Commission, March 13 2024
- ↑ "煤电机组动态调整公告 （2025年第1期）", Liaoning Development and Reform Commission, January 15 2025
- ↑ "青海省拟适用煤电容量电价机制机组清单公示", Chizhou Qinghai Province Energy Administration, December 2 2024
- ↑ "附件：适用煤电容量电价机制机组清单", Energy Administration of Shandong Province, January 14 2024
- ↑ "关于印发适用煤电容量电价机制机组清单的补充通知", Energy Administration of Shandong Province, November 8 2024
- ↑ "关于将菏泽华汪热力有限公司#1等机组补充纳入适用煤电容量电价机制机组清单的通知", Energy Administration of Shandong Province, March 14 2025
- ↑ "2024年2月上海电网煤电容量电费相关结果公示", Shanghai Power Exchange Center, March 18 2024
- ↑ "天津落实煤电容量电价机制有关事项通知", Tianjin Development and Reform Commission, January 4 2024
- ↑ "云南省公布煤电容量电价适用机组清单", Yunnan Energy Administration, Feburary 2 2024
- ↑ "浙江明确煤电容量电价机制执行有关事项", Zhejiang Development and Reform Commission, January 3 2024
- ↑ "浙江：同意六横电厂二期4号机组执行煤电容量电价机制", Zhejiang Development and Reform Commission, January 13 2025
- ↑ "重庆市发展和改革委员会关于贯彻落实煤电容量电价机制有关事项的通知", Chongqing Development and Reform Commission, December 25 2023
- ↑ "福建电力交易中心关于煤电容量电价政策与2024年度零售市场交易衔接的提示", Fujian Power Exchange Center, January 15 2024
- ↑ "甘肃省发展和改革委员会国家能源局甘肃监管办公室关于实施煤电容量电价机制有关事项的通知", Gansu Economy Institute, January 8 2024
- ↑ "广东省发展改革委 广东省能源局 国家能源局南方监管局关于我省煤电气电容量电价机制有关事项的通知", Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, December 28 2023
- ↑ "贵州建立煤电容量电价机制：煤电容量电费纳入系统运行费用", Guizhou Development and Reform Commission, January 2 2024
- ↑ "安海南：纳入系统运行费用“煤电容量电费”科目单独列示", Hainan Development and Reform Commission, December 28 2023
- ↑ "湖南：落实煤电容量电价政策 建立天然气发电气电联动和容量电价机制", People's Government of Hunan Province, May 13 2024
- ↑ "省发展改革委关于做好煤电容量电价机制改革有关工作的通知", Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission, December 26 2023
- ↑ "自治区发展改革委关于落实建立煤电容量电价机制有关事项的通知", Ningxia Development and Reform Commission, December 28 2023
- ↑ "宝鸡市发展和改革委员会文件", Baoji Development and Reform Commission, December 25 2023
- ↑ "山西省发展和改革委员会 山西省能源局国家能源局 山西监管办公室 关于我省煤电容量电价机制有关事项的通知", Zezhou Development and Reform Commission, January 8 2024
- ↑ "四川省：建立煤电容量电价机制", Sichuan Development and Reform Commission, January 19 2024
- ↑ "国家发展改革委 国家能源局关于建立煤电容量电价机制的通知", Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission, November 10 2023
About the Global Coal Plant Tracker
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
