Coal-fired plants in Beijing on waoy ut with new ban

Beijing will ban new coal-fired thermal power plants after the four existing ones are expected to be replaced by gas-fired plants by 2017, according to the municipal economic planner.

The replacement is being made in an attempt to reduce coal consumption to achieve better air quality.

"The closure of the coal-fired power plants will greatly improve air quality, considering that 22 percent of air pollutants are from coal consumption," said Zhang Wangcai, deputy director of the Beijing Development and Reform Commission's Energy Bureau.