Over 300,000 households in Hebei, Shanxi, and Inner Mongolia regions have reported inadequate heating during winter 2025–2026 as government gas subsidies were reduced by 40% compared to previous years. The move, part of a nationwide energy efficiency initiative, has led to rising out-of-pocket costs and increased reliance on coal stoves.
- 300,000+ rural households in Hebei, Shanxi, and Inner Mongolia affected by gas subsidy reduction
- Subsidy cuts reduced by 40% compared to 2024–2025 heating season
- Average monthly gas bills rose from 380 yuan to 650 yuan (71% increase)
- 62% of households in Xuanhua County now use coal stoves, up from 30% previously
- 28% increase in respiratory admissions in Zhangjiakou clinics in December 2025
- Only 47% of 2.3 billion yuan emergency relief funds disbursed by January 2026
In remote villages across northern China, residents are enduring sub-zero temperatures without reliable heating as central government subsidies for natural gas consumption were reduced by 40% in the 2025–2026 heating season. The policy shift, implemented in October 2025 under a broader fiscal consolidation plan, affected over 300,000 households in Hebei Province alone, with additional impacts in Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Average household gas bills have risen from 380 yuan to 650 yuan monthly, a 71% increase, according to local community reports. The subsidy reduction was intended to reduce state fiscal strain and promote energy conservation, but the immediate effect has been a spike in informal heating methods. In the county of Xuanhua, 62% of surveyed households reported using coal-burning stoves, up from 30% in the prior year. Health authorities in Zhangjiakou have recorded a 28% rise in respiratory admissions during December 2025, with local clinics attributing the increase to indoor air pollution from low-quality coal. Electric heating remains largely inaccessible due to infrastructure gaps; only 12% of rural homes in the affected regions are connected to centralized electric heating grids. The government has allocated 2.3 billion yuan in emergency relief funds, but distribution has lagged, with only 47% disbursed by mid-January 2026. Meanwhile, regional utility providers report a 19% drop in natural gas demand as households curtail usage, signaling broader economic and social strain. The situation has drawn attention from national oversight bodies, with a special task force launched to assess rural energy resilience. While the long-term goal of reducing fossil fuel dependency is maintained, the abrupt phase-out of subsidies has exposed vulnerabilities in China’s rural energy transition strategy.