China has the highest installed capacity of coal power plants in the world. As of July 2025, it operated coal plants with a combined capacity of 1,193.8 gigawatts. This was more than five times the operational capacity of coal plants in the United States, which ranked third. China's carbon dioxide emissions from coal combustion surpassed 8.5 billion metric tons in 2023 - roughly 70 percent of the country's total emissions.
Coal power plant pipeline
While coal use has come under harsh scrutiny over its highly polluting nature, the industry has continued investing in new coal-fired generation plants. The global installed coal power generation capacity is projected to remain at around 2.3 terawatts over the coming decades.
Worldwide, about 227 gigawatts of new coal capacity was under construction in 2024, with a further 276 gigawatts in various stages of planning. Despite commitments to the contrary, the capacity of the coal plant pipeline has increased over the last few years. Announced coal power plants are primarily located in Asia.
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Countries with largest installed capacity of coal power plants worldwide as of July 2025
(in gigawatts)
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Global Energy Monitor. (July 31, 2025). Countries with largest installed capacity of coal power plants worldwide as of July 2025 (in gigawatts) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/530569/installed-capacity-of-coal-power-plants-in-selected-countries/
Global Energy Monitor. "Countries with largest installed capacity of coal power plants worldwide as of July 2025 (in gigawatts)." Chart. July 31, 2025. Statista. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/530569/installed-capacity-of-coal-power-plants-in-selected-countries/
Global Energy Monitor. (2025). Countries with largest installed capacity of coal power plants worldwide as of July 2025 (in gigawatts). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 20, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/530569/installed-capacity-of-coal-power-plants-in-selected-countries/
Global Energy Monitor. "Countries with Largest Installed Capacity of Coal Power Plants Worldwide as of July 2025 (in Gigawatts)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Jul 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/530569/installed-capacity-of-coal-power-plants-in-selected-countries/
Global Energy Monitor, Countries with largest installed capacity of coal power plants worldwide as of July 2025 (in gigawatts) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/530569/installed-capacity-of-coal-power-plants-in-selected-countries/ (last visited October 20, 2025)
Countries with largest installed capacity of coal power plants worldwide as of July 2025 (in gigawatts) [Graph], Global Energy Monitor, July 31, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/530569/installed-capacity-of-coal-power-plants-in-selected-countries/
