Changjiang Securities·2025-10-08 23:30Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Positive" and is maintained [11] Core Viewpoints - The report indicates that while electricity prices and volumes continued to decline in the third quarter, the significant drop in coal prices is expected to lead to positive performance for thermal power operators in northern and parts of eastern and central China [2][6] - Hydropower performance is anticipated to be limited due to weak electricity generation during the main flood season, with a year-on-year decrease of 9.95% in hydropower generation from July to August [7][35] - Nuclear power generation is expected to grow steadily, but performance may vary by province due to differing impacts from declining electricity prices [7][36] - Clean energy utilization hours have decreased nationally, but regions like Fujian, Shanghai, and Guangdong have shown recovery in wind energy utilization hours, leading to strong performance from certain regional new energy operators [8][43] Summary by Sections Thermal Power - The three core factors affecting thermal power profitability are coal prices, electricity prices, and utilization hours. Despite a general decline in electricity prices across provinces, coal prices have significantly decreased, with the average coal price in Qinhuangdao dropping by 175.63 yuan/ton year-on-year [6][20] - The comprehensive coal price drop is expected to reduce thermal power fuel costs by approximately 0.035 yuan/kWh year-on-year, supporting continued improvement in thermal power operations, especially in northern and eastern provinces [6][32] Hydropower - Hydropower generation faced a year-on-year decline of 9.95% due to high base effects and uneven rainfall distribution. However, improved water inflow in September is expected to alleviate some pressure on hydropower performance [7][35] - Major hydropower companies are expected to manage water reservoir operations effectively to mitigate fluctuations in water inflow [35] Nuclear Power - Nuclear power generation is projected to grow by 7.09% year-on-year, supported by increased installed capacity and stable maintenance schedules. However, market price fluctuations may impact performance differently across operators [36][7] Clean Energy - Wind and solar power generation saw significant year-on-year growth of 11.85% and 22.09%, respectively, but utilization hours have decreased. Regional disparities exist, with eastern coastal provinces showing improved wind energy utilization [8][43] - Despite high growth in installed capacity, the overall performance of new energy operators may face pressure due to rising costs and weak electricity prices, although some regional operators are expected to perform well [8][43] Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on quality thermal power operators such as Huaneng International, Datang Power, and Guodian Power, as well as major hydropower companies like Yangtze Power and State Power Investment Corporation. For new energy, it suggests companies like Longyuan Power and China Nuclear Power [9][54]