"China is reducing coal use for power generation faster than expected as the use of cleaner-burning fuels and slowing economic growth drags thermal utilization rates to a potential record low, implying imports and prices will fall further. Beijing said this month it will go all out to curb its addiction to coal to reduce pollution, raising fresh doubts about demand from the world's top consumer of the fuel just after imports slumped a third in February from a year ago. Clean-fuel policies, as well as an economy growing at its slowest pace in 25 years, are driving lower coal use, with power companies using a greater mix of hydro, nuclear and renewable options, especially wind. Coal still makes up nearly two-thirds of China's energy mix, but utilization rates at thermal power plants - nearly all coal-fired - have dropped to 52.2 percent in the first two months of this year," Reuters reports.