Xinhua reported that China's coal output amounted to 2.46 billion tonnes in January-August of 2011.

Mr Wei Pengyu an official with the National Energy Administration of China predicted that coal supply and demand would keep balance in this winter as coal supply would be effectively increased as a number of large modern coalmines will come on stream.

Meanwhile, coal demand would rise on the coming of cooling weather.

According to NEA, China produced 323 million tonnes of raw coal in August. During the peak summer of June-August, China's coal output recorded an increase of 82.2 million tonnes to come to 956 million tonnes.