Winter in the year 2009 brought China strong shortages of energy due to unusually cold weather. The National Energy Administration explained the situation giving four primary reasons: (1) the low water level in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River; (2) rapid recovery of China’s macro economy in Q4 of 2009; (3) the low stock level of coal, as well as a bottleneck in railway capacities; (4) a sharp increase in consumer demand caused by the fact that most of the regions were attacked by rainy and snowy weather.
Actions being taken by the authorities are: (1) increasing the coal gas production level; (2) increasing the supply of natural gas by expanding the volume of imports; (3) speeding up the construction of Natural Gas Storage and Adjustment Facilities.
Source: Xinhua, January 22, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2010-01/22/content_12858478.htm