(Yicai Global) Jan. 31 -- China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) -- the nation's macro-economic planner -- its transport ministry and China Railway Corp., the country's national railway operator, have taken measures as power plants face depleted coal inventories.

The average coal stocks of power plants nationwide are within a reasonable range of about 15 days, Lian Weiliang, NDRC deputy director, said today at a press briefing.

A joint investigation by the NDRC and China Railway Corp. found 26 power plants had coal inventories sufficient for less than seven days' demand. Rail authorities have now granted them priority coal transport to ensure their stocks stay in the safe range, Lian said.

Snowstorms have constrained rail-borne coal transport. Authorities will make full use of the 10 days before the Lunar New Year Festival peak in February to arrange coal transport to ensure power plants' needs, said Li Wenxin, deputy general manager of China Railway Corp.

The country's power generation rose this month by 15 percent over the same period last year, and this has markedly upped coal demand, Lian noted.