The LNG storage tanks of the green energy base in Yancheng, East China's Jiangsu Province Photo: VCG

China ramped up energy production and imports in October to ensure stable supplies for winter heating, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Tuesday. 

In October, the country produced 370 million tons of raw coal, up 1.2 percent year-on-year, while output of crude oil grew 2.5 percent to 17.22 million tons, the NBS data showed.

Natural gas production reached 18.5 billion cubic meters, up 12.3 percent, and electricity generation returned to expansion with a 1.3 percent year-on- year growth to 661 billion kilowatt-hours.

China has continued to strengthen energy supplies, Fu Linghui, a spokesperson of the NBS, said at a press briefing on Tuesday. The output of coal, crude oil and natural gas increased 10 percent, 3 percent and 6 percent respectively in the first 10 months of 2022.

Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the increase in domestic production showed the government's support measures were securing stable supplies. 

In October, China imported 29.18 million tons of coal, up 8.3 percent year-on-year, while imports of crude oil grew 14.1 percent to 43.14 million tons. Natural gas imports fell 18.9 percent to 7.61 million tons.

China's energy use peaks during winter heating season, so authorities across the country are taking targeted measures to safeguard supplies.

For example, authorities in North China's Shanxi Province, a major coal production base, held a meeting on Monday where they set targets for increased coal production, local newspaper Shanxi Daily reported on Tuesday. 

The meeting stressed measures to guarantee the safe production and transportation of coal under strengthened government guidance. It also emphasized an increase in coal storage capacity and production in all the cities in the province.

Lin said that authorities are using various measures to ensure energy supplies, aiming to avoid power outages and supporting all types of energy sources to ensure industrial production and household consumption.

Lin anticipated well-managed energy supplies for winter, based on past experiences. He also reminded relevant departments to remain aware of regional power shortages due to extreme weather conditions.

Coal inventories at the nation's power plants remain at 170 million tons, about double the year-earlier level and the highest level in history, Ren Jingdong, deputy director of the National Energy Administration, told the Xinhua News Agency on November 7.

Ren said that China's crude oil output has increased for three consecutive years, and its natural gas output has increased by more than 10 billion cubic meters for five consecutive years.