Heating coal storage: Why missed the golden period

On the 23rd, at the thermal power plant on the northern outskirts of the provincial capital, workers were unloading the coal from Shanxi. The reporter Zhou Qing first photographed this reporter Wang Guangzhao Zhao Li entered the heating season, the provincial capital's thermal enterprises more and more due to coal tight nerves. In recent years, due to rising coal prices, heating companies have encountered coal shortages every year. Why are heating companies not storing coal in advance? Why did you not find a solution to the coal shortage year after year? Where is the trapped coal trap?

To get high-quality coal and get a good relationship with the mine on November 20, Jinan Thermal Power Co., Ltd. responsible for logistics support Liu Defa (a pseudonym) pack up, ready to go to Shanxi Changzhi to run a trip. This month, he has gone to Shanxi three times for only one purpose - to let the coal mines give himself up first and produce more quality coal.

As the largest heating company in the provincial capital, Ji'nan has nearly 30 million square meters of thermal heating area. In each heating season, more than 900,000 tons of coal are burned. "A train pulled more than 3,000 tons and sent more than 300 trains to support a heating season," said Liu Defa.

“Now some coal dealers in the South have already taken their cash to buy coal in the Shanxi coal mine.” Liu Defa said that without exception, they have to treat guests, gifts, sets, and have a good relationship with the mine in order to win the opportunity of early coal . The quality of coal is also of equal importance. According to different types of furnaces, Jinan Thermal Power must enter into two types of lean lean coal and fat coal. If the coal quality is not up to the standard, it will not only affect the calorific value, but also cause boiler failure.

It took a lot of twists and turns to sign a coal-mining contract with the coal mines and set a good coal source. Liu Defa must send someone to check on the movements on the mine. "People who buy coal are in a queue. The mine informs you about loading. It must be prepared in advance. A little delay may be missed."

The winter coal storage problem also haunted Jinan Heating Co., Ltd. In July, they sent special personnel to Hebei, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia to inspect and turn for nearly 20 days. Guo Yi, who is in charge of coal procurement in Jinan, believes that the coal-racing battle was kicked off as early as July. At that time, he was from the Shenmu Fugu coal mine in Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia to the high-speed road in Shaanxi Province. It stretched more than 60 kilometers and was almost a coal-launching team.

At the end of December of each year, the coal mines were limited in production, but at that time the weather was the coldest, the amount of coal used in heating and power generation was large, and the coal-racing battle was even more intense.

“From Jinan to Shenmufugu, we normally pull a coal for three days. On average, the transport cost per ton of coal is 300 yuan. However, during the tense period, there are too many cars that pull coal, and they are stuck on the road and pull a coal. To go for 7 days, the transportation cost per ton of coal also rose to 450 yuan." Guo Yi said.

Shortage of capital seasonality Missed coal prices During the golden period of coal procurement, Liu Defa knew that many factors would trigger the nerves of coal price sensitivity. Mine accidents and fuel price increases can all lead to higher coal prices. After the heating operation stopped in March of the previous year, April and May were the lowest coal prices. However, after the end of heating this year, the price of coal has not declined. Qinhuangdao is an important coal distribution center in China. According to their quotation, in April and May of this year, the price of coal was RMB 20 per ton higher than the same period last year. By July, the price per ton was 80-100 yuan higher than the same period last year.

"As coal prices go up, the hot companies have no money to buy coal," said Liu Defa, who has already set a good plan with the coal mines. However, because the funds are not in place, the mine sold coal to other homes.

Jinan thermal power relevant person in charge said that under normal circumstances, the summer coal prices are low, but the company is difficult to save coal at this time. On the one hand, the closed site of the heat source plant is limited, and the weather of coal will be greatly reduced due to the wind and sun. More importantly, the summer heating bill has not yet been collected. As a result, heat companies usually enter coal only from September onwards. At this time, the coal price golden period has been missed.

"Now, coal mines cannot make payments. Sometimes it is not feasible to buy coal with cash. Coal must be used in advance as required." This made Liu Defa somewhat annoyed. If the price rises again when the coal is fired, it can be bought at a higher price.

When it comes to funding issues, Guo Yi is also more difficult. The coal needed for Jinan's heat supply is supplied by the coal distribution company. When bidding for 12 coal distribution companies this year, priority will be given to companies with discounted credits. “We plan to burn about 350,000 tons of coal this year, and coal has become a problem,” said Guo Yi. They have not yet paid 24 million yuan in coal for the heating season last year. By the end of this year, on November 1st, 19,000 tons of coal had been stored and 16 million yuan had been owed.

It is understood that Huangtai Power Plant, which is responsible for 30% of heating tasks in Jinan, is also plagued by shortage of coal storage. Huangtai Power Plant is losing money in heat supply and lost more than 40 million yuan last year. Now due to a shortage of funds, coal suppliers have proposed to make prepayments first, or to list repayment commitment plans, but Huangtai Power Plant cannot.

"Planning hot" encountered "market coal"

As the cost-rising enterprises look back at their years of experience, Guo Yi said that when the days were better, they were "coal bosses" who came to the door. "We are looking for us to buy coal. Now it's completely upside down."

Liu Defa is very envious of some large power plants. Some of them have "planned coal," and the country arranges for some coal mines to supply them on a regular basis. There are also preferential prices. Unlike "hot coal", in the absence of money, they must compete for market prices. The price scissor between "planned hot" and "market coal" has made hot companies "head big."

“The problem of hot coal storage is largely a contradiction between planned heat and market coal.” Tian Guansan, deputy director of the School of Thermal Energy Engineering at Shandong Jianzhu University, said that the coal market has been liberalized and coal prices have been rising year after year. The hot price still uses the government guidance price, and the difference between the two is also an important reason for the loss of hot companies.

"Although heating costs have now risen to 26.7 yuan per square meter, coal prices have also multiplied several times," said Li Wei, deputy director of the Ji'nan Municipal Public Utilities Bureau's heating office. Coal prices account for 70% of the total cost of heating. Coal prices are soaring. Most of the heat companies have been losing money.