China Has Only 12 Days Left of Coal

In some areas, the reserves are down to less than a week
By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 23, 2008 6:01 PM CDT
China Has Only 12 Days Left of Coal
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, a convoy of trucks carrying coal heads to provinces hard-hit by snow and ice storms.   (AP Photo/Xinhua, Li Xin)

China only has coal reserves left for about 12 days, and in some regions only about a week's supply is left, Australia's News Network reports. The demand for coal—the most important energy source in the country—has skyrocketed, with huge numbers of new power plants being built in the past decade.

China relies on coal for about 70% of its energy. The China Electricity Commission says the reasons for the present shortage are "multi-dimensional." Since March, reserves have fallen 12%, to 46.7 million tons, the Commission reports. (More China stories.)

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