{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1678012,
        "msgid": "coal-prices-plunge-again-chinas-aid-in-vain-1776217852",
        "date": "2026-04-15 07:35:27",
        "title": "Coal Prices Plunge Again, China's Aid in Vain",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNBC",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Energy",
        "summary": "Global coal prices tumbled 2.9% to US$128.25 per tonne on Tuesday, following a sharp decline in crude oil prices despite reports of increased coal imports by China and proposed regulatory relaxations by the US EPA to ease coal ash management burdens. China's coal imports rose 1.3% year-on-year in the first quarter to 116.27 million tonnes, with March imports surging 26.2%, yet this failed to stem the price drop amid broader energy market weakness. Meanwhile, India's coal production for March exceeded targets but showed a slight annual decline, contributing to a global oversupply sentiment that underscores challenges in the coal sector.",
        "content": "<p>Coal prices plunged again following the fall in global crude oil\nprices. According to Refinitiv, coal prices closed at US$128.25 per\ntonne on Tuesday (14\/4\/2026) trading. The price dropped 2.9%. This\nweakening contrasts with a 1.7% surge on Monday. Coal prices fell in\nline with crude oil prices despite positive news from China. Crude oil\nprices reversed direction from the previous day\u2019s increase. On Tuesday,\nWest Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 7.87% to US$91.28 per barrel,\nwhile Brent crude weakened 4.6% to US$94.79 per barrel. Coal prices\ncontinued to weaken despite positive news from China and the United\nStates (US). China\u2019s General Administration of Customs reported that\nimporters in China increased coal purchases by 1.3% year-on-year in the\nJanuary-March period to 116.27 million tonnes. In value terms, coal\nsupplies to China from other countries fell 6% in that period to US$8.73\nbillion. In March alone, China bought 39.05 million tonnes of coal from\nabroad, up 26.2% from the previous month. In value terms, imports rose\n30.6% to US$2.94 billion. Russia is one of the main coal exporters to\nChina. According to the International Trade Laboratory of the Gaidar\nInstitute, Russia\u2019s share in coal supplies to China reached 29% last\nyear. China\u2019s coal imports rose 14.4% in 2024, then fell 9.6% to 490.27\nmillion tonnes in 2025. Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection\nAgency (EPA) officially proposed relaxing federal regulations on the\ndisposal and management of coal combustion residuals from power plants,\nalso known as coal ash. This move opens opportunities for easing cleanup\nobligations at disposal sites and monitoring requirements, both at\noperating coal-fired power plants and those already decommissioned, as\nthe Donald Trump administration pushes for more such plants to resume\nelectricity production, often conflicting with the priorities of owners,\nutilities, and local communities. The changes proposed by the agency,\nannounced on 9 April, include repealing the legacy site surface\nimpoundment rule, implemented in the previous administration, which\nexpanded closure obligations and cleanup of toxic ash at old or inactive\nfacilities. The EPA\u2019s new proposal states that this step aims to\neliminate 2024 regulatory requirements deemed by the current\nadministration as \u201cimpractical and unfeasible,\u201d which utilities say\nburden energy production. Other revisions would give state authorities\ngreater flexibility to tailor groundwater monitoring, corrective\nactions, impoundment closures, and post-closure obligations based on\nsite-specific risks and conditions, including the use of new\ntechnologies. Another provision would revise the definition of\nbeneficial use of coal residues for making materials like cement and\ngypsum board, removing the environmental review requirement for\nnon-roadway uses exceeding 12,400 tonnes of uncovered residue on land.\nAdditionally, coal ash used in cement production in cement kilns and\nflue gas desulphurisation gypsum used in wallboard or agriculture would\nbe exempted from federal regulations. The EPA claims these revisions\ncould reduce the need for coal ash waste disposal while \u201cenhancing the\nstrength, durability, and workability of the resulting cement and\nconcrete.\u201d The public comment period will run until 12 June, with\ninformational webinars on 15 and 16 April, and a public hearing\nscheduled for 28 May. India Faces Oversupply Data from the Ministry of\nCoal for March 2026 shows total production reached 113.67 million\ntonnes. This figure equals 113.07% of the monthly target of 100.53\nmillion tonnes. However, this represents a slight 4.09% decline compared\nto March 2025 production. The main producer, Coal India Limited,\nproduced 84.46 million tonnes, equivalent to 90.34% of its monthly\ntarget. Singareni Collieries Company Limited produced 5.17 million\ntonnes, and captive mines and others contributed 24.05 million tonnes,\nup slightly 0.96% year-on-year. For the full fiscal year 2025-26, total\ncoal production reached 1.04 billion tonnes, down slightly 0.64% from\nthe 2024-25 fiscal year of 1.047 billion tonnes.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/coal-prices-plunge-again-chinas-aid-in-vain-1776217852",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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