When you also put into the equation the problems China faces as it tries to wean itself off heavily polluting coal-fired power stations to improve its environmental record while at the same time not being prepared to pay market rates for the electricity being supplied to the state, thus hindering investment, the numbers don’t add up.
What is this "environmental record" to which the author refers? Who says China is trying to "wean itself off of coal"? Since when do the Chinese care what anybody thinks about anything?
This all sounds like B.S. to me. The Chinese need electricity to run their economy. They are sitting on plentiful coal reserves and have plenty of coalminers and coal-fired power plant builders. So what really explains the electricity shortage there, assuming there actually is one?
Based on this article, the energy shortage is caused by drought which has reduced hydroelectric power production. I remember reading an article years ago that said China was moving towards hydroelectric power and away from new coal-fired plants in an effort to clean up the air in China. So apparently they have some concern for air quality in China.
And, the Chinese are buying up all the thermal coal they can get from Indonesia and Australia. They can pay for it.
I think you're right. I read an article a few months ago that China was slapping together coal plants as quickly as possible. THEN an article came out saying how far ahead the Chinese are with their clean-coal initiative.
Frankly there have been so many POSITIVE articles about China lately and how they are just leaving the West in their dust, that I think we being hit by a major propaganda campaign.