Shanxi homes turn to coal after gas supply delayed

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Cities across northern China are helping to reduce air pollution by switching from coal heating to gas, but some households have had to resort to burning coal again after delays in receiving gas supplies.

A number of homes in Linfen in northern Shanxi Province have resumed burning coal despite a recent ban against the practice.

Resident Zhang Maixiang says problems with the community's gas supply has made it dangerously cold inside their homes.

Some households in Linfen city in North China’s Shanxi Province have started burning coal again, after gas heating supplies were delayed. /CGTN Photo

“Elderly people in many families can’t stand the cold. They’ve started burning coal leftover from last year,’ she said.

Residents began tearing our their coal boilers in June and started preparing for a new communal heating system.

But the project is running behind schedule, and tens of thousands of residents now have no heat in their homes.

The new communal gas heating project hasn’t been finished in the village. /CGTN Photo

Another villager said, “We have elderly people and children at home. It's so cold right now. And we can only use a plug-in heater. But it doesn't produce enough heat”.

Linfen used to have a serious air pollution problem and the Environmental Protection Bureau criticized the city's inefficient use of coal.

But in recent years, the city has been making efforts to improve the local environment.

As the temperature continues to drop, many villagers feel colder inside their homes. /CGTN Photo

This year, the city invested 50 million yuan to replace coal boilers with modern gas heating plants and introduced a ban on coal.

Local authorities blame a lack of resources for the project's delay.

Wang Hongsuo, Chief of the Cleaning Heating Project, said, “We’re trying to finish the clean heating project ahead of schedule. But we found the workload is quite challenging and now we’re facing a shortage of workers and construction materials. We feel sorry for the inconvenience that we brought to the villagers”.

Linfen often saw heavy smog in winter in the past years. /CGTN Photo

Wang says the government has provided heating equipment and subsidies to help villagers cover higher electricity costs.

And he has promised to supply modern gas heating by December 5.

Local heating plants now are producing heat by using gas instead of coal. /CGTN Photo

Linfen is just one of many cities across northern China experiencing difficulties during the government's shift from coal to gas.

The move is no doubt important as authorities work to improve air quality in China. But some say local governments must continue to carefully supervise ongoing efforts in order to ensure that no one gets left out in the cold.