China’s electricity-market trading rises 18.9% in the first three quarters of 2026

Data released by China's National Energy Administration on October 27 show that electricity-market trading increased by 18.9% year on year in the first three quarters of 2026.

From January to September, electricity trading institutions completed transactions totalling 5.8536 trillion kWh. The 18.9% growth rate was 11.7 percentage points higher than in the same period of the previous year.

The data indicate three changes: more generators and users are participating in transactions; provincial trading is expanding rapidly, reaching 4.5499 trillion kWh, up 22%; and the green-electricity market continues to grow, with 249.2 billion kWh traded, up 6.1%.

Zhang Lin, director of planning and development at the China Electricity Council, said the 18.9% increase reflects the market's growing ability to allocate resources. Broader participation by thermal and renewable generation, the formal operation of spot markets and more active interprovincial trading are expanding transaction volumes and market activity.

Cross-provincial and cross-regional transactions reached 1.3037 trillion kWh in the first three quarters, an increase of 9.1%. Experts said that continued development of a unified national electricity market can create more opportunities to integrate renewable generation.

Feng Shengbo, director of the Energy System Analysis Center at the National Development and Reform Commission's Energy Research Institute, said trading is expanding in both product types and geographic coverage. More responsive market signals can help move electricity from wind- and solar-rich regions to eastern load centres, supporting nationwide use of green electricity.