China’s Gas Sector Lobbies for More Power Plants to Boost Demand

China’s natural gas producers are lobbying Beijing to increase the number of power plants that run on the fuel, in a bid to help prop up faltering demand.

The power sector — which currently accounts for 18% of China’s gas consumption — is viewed by the industry as a key engine of growth, according to people involved in advising on energy policy. Under the sector’s latest proposal, China would build nearly 70 gigawatts of new gas-fired capacity by 2030, an almost 50% increase from 2025’s estimated level, they said, asking not to be named as the plan is not public.