Fewer coal power plants closed in 2022 than in recent years

Apr 17, 2023

With the collaboration of Statista

While the rate of new coal power plants opening did not increase, 2022 saw fewer coal power plants close than in any year since 2015. Image: Unsplash/jplenio

Anna Fleck

Data Journalist, Statista

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A new report finds that electricity generation from coal power plants has risen.
It found that plant closure rates in 2022 were the slowest for 8 years, as this chart shows.
This is because countries have been holding onto backup capacity, analysts say.
Electricity data was analyzed from 78 countries, representing 93% of global electricity demand.

Data from Ember’s fourth annual Global Electricity Review reveals that electricity generation from coal increased by 1.1 percent last year, which is in line with the average rate of growth in the last decade. Ember found that while the rate of new coal power plants opening did not increase, 2022 saw fewer coal power plants close than in any year since 2015. Analysts say this was due to countries seeking to hold onto backup capacity.

Electricity data was analyzed from 78 countries, representing 93 percent of global electricity demand and includes estimated changes for the missing data.

Fewer coal power plants close in 2022 than recent years. Image: Statista/Global Energy Monitor

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