Managing over-capacity in China's coal-fired power sector

China's coal-fired power sector is facing major over-capacity as power demand growth stalls and new capacity is added. The investment-driven mindset among power gencos, local governments and banks means that despite central government efforts to reign in new projects, China could still add hundreds of GWs of coal-fired capacity over the next 5 years. Over-capacity on this scale will impact genco profitability, the pace of grid expansion and the direction of power market reform. Additionally, gas demand in power generation could be hit if coal–fired power begins to compete for the peaking role of gas-fired power.