Northwest China’s coal-rich Shaanxi province, the nation’s third largest coal producer, plans to boost thermal power installed capacity significantly in 2014, with projects set to start preliminary work doubling that in 2013. 

In 2014, Shaanxi will commence preliminary work on thermal power projects with total capacity nearly 20 GW, of which 12 generating units will be of 1 GW and above, compared to only two units in 2013, according to a plan released by the provincial Development and Reform Commission on March 28.

Meanwhile, the province will start construction on new projects with installed capacity of 3.4 GW, and complete some 3.03 GW of ongoing projects, the plan said.

More than 130 billion yuan will be invested in these projects, accounting for 50.2% of the province’s total planned investment in key projects, according to the plan.

Data showed the utilization of thermal power generating units in Shaanxi increased 1.94% year on year to 5,266 hours in 2013, 254 hours more than the nation’s average level.

The Chinese government is encouraging the construction of thermal plants in coal-rich western China, while curbing new projects in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei metropolitan region and city clusters in the Yangtze River delta, as it seeks to tackle air pollution in these regions.

With thermal power capacity expanding continuously in western China, more ultra-high voltage (UHV) lines are expected to be built to transmit the surplus power to consumer areas in the east.