With the arrival of the second cold wave in autumn and winter this year, the demand for power supply and heating in many areas has significantly increased, and energy supply has entered a critical period of peak winter. The reporter learned that currently, the overall energy supply in China is stable. As the "ballast stone" of energy security, the tense situation of coal supply and demand has been effectively reversed this year. The elasticity of the upcoming 2024 coal medium and long-term contract signing is expected to increase compared to 2023. At the production site of China Huadian Sichuan Guang'an Company, the operating personnel closely monitor the parameter changes of the unit. Since the beginning of winter, six units here have been started one after another, maintaining full load power generation, and putting into operation the electric heating and supply protection work with full power on. From October 1st to November 19th this year, China Huadian's heating area has exceeded 800 million square meters, with a residential heating volume of 52.41 million gigajoules. Since November, the heating volume has increased by more than 11% year-on-year. It is crucial to ensure the smooth and orderly supply of coal during the peak power generation of the unit. "While continuing to play a supporting role in ensuring self-produced coal, we will comprehensively consider the coal demand for this winter and next spring, strengthen the fulfillment of long-term coal contracts, and carefully sign medium - and long-term coal contracts to ensure stable electricity coal supply by the end of the year and the beginning of the year," said the relevant person in charge of China Huadian. The reporter learned from the China Coal Industry Association that the 2024 National Coal Trade Fair will be held in Tangshan City, Hebei Province from December 5th to 8th. The signing of medium and long-term coal contracts and the connection between production and transportation needs in the new year will still be the highlight. Zhang Hong, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the China Coal Industry Association, stated that through the structural reform of the coal supply side, China has established and improved a series of systems, including medium and long-term contracts, and built the National Coal Trade Fair as a platform, allowing more enterprises to achieve market-oriented docking and jointly maintain market balance, playing a supporting role in ensuring coal supply and price stability and maintaining long-term supply-demand balance. "After short-term fluctuations in spot prices in the market in 2021, the spot prices of 5500 kcal thermal coal in Qinhuangdao Port have fluctuated around 900 yuan/ton in the past two years, and the long-term contract price of electric coal has remained stable at around 700 yuan/ton. The operation of the coal market is becoming increasingly stable, which largely depends on the strong implementation of coal supply guarantee policies," said Zhang Hong. Zhao Jianguo, Secretary General of the China Coal Transportation and Sales Association, further explained to the Economic Reference Daily reporter that although domestic raw coal production has only increased by about 3% this year, it has ensured stable coal supply throughout the country, and coal supply and demand have shifted from tension to balance, effectively reversing the situation. Due to this impact, there have been some adjustments and changes to the requirements for signing and fulfilling medium - and long-term coal contracts in 2024. For example, in 2023, it is required that power companies sign long-term contracts with full coverage or even 105% coverage. In 2024, this proportion will be restored to 80% -100%, and the restrictions on coal consumption increment will be relatively relaxed. The signing flexibility will increase compared to 2023. "At present, major enterprises are actively promoting the connection between coal production and demand, as well as the next step of capacity allocation. The signing of medium - and long-term coal contracts will ensure the stability of energy supply and provide strong support for the stable operation of the economy." Zhao Jianguo said. The significant increase in coal imports has also to some extent met domestic coal demand.