LNG: Record China Peak Electricity and Gas Demand in Winter: NDRC

China’s peak electricity load and peak daily gas consumption are both forecast to reach record highs in winter, an official from the National Development and Reform Commission said.

• The upcoming winter heating season is expected to last more than two months and longer than usual, the NDRC official added.
• The country is sufficiently prepared with energy supplies and power plants have 230m tons of coal stocks, enough for 35 days, NDRC said.
• However, early forecasts for mild temperatures and LNG supplies secured for the next few months via long-term contracts will likely limit the need to turn to the spot LNG market, Bloomberg reported earlier this week.
• LNG imports to China in November likely fell for a 13th straight month on an annual basis to about 5.81m tons, according to Kpler data. Chinese demand for expensive LNG has been subdued this year by cheaper pipeline imports from Russia and Central Asia as well as strong domestic output.