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Disruptionother · August 5, 2026

Reopening coal-based production units is an extremely dangerous decision

The headline refers to reopening coal-based production units, implying a restoration or increase in coal-fired generation capacity.

Source →

The trace

How it reaches your house.

Starting from NTPC Limited, we walked the supply graph hop by hop to the goods you buy and the companies you own. Each step is the engine’s reasoning, scored for confidence and cited where a source backs it.

  1. First impact

    NTPC Limitedsupply up

    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)

    Reopening coal-based units at NTPC raises coal combustion byproducts, so fly ash and slag output to SCM markets should increase; the 8% share and 6-month replaceability make the effect material but not dominant.

    74% confidence
    State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC)supply up

    Electricity (electrolytic refining)

    Reopening coal-based production units increases coal-fired generation capacity, which should raise the availability of grid electricity feeding electrolytic refining; SGCC is a major grid operator with a large stated dependence on this input channel.

    68% confidence
    Cement and concretesupply up

    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)

    Reopening coal-fired units should increase coal-combustion byproducts, making fly ash and slag more available as cement SCM inputs.

    62% confidence
    Cement and concretesupply up

    Gypsum (Natural & Synthetic FGD)

    Higher coal-plant output can also raise synthetic FGD gypsum supply, easing another key cement input constraint.

    59% confidence
  2. Hop 2

    Electricity (electrolytic refining)supply up

    Copper and electrical wiring

    This good has a critical dependency on electricity inputs, so reopening coal-based generation should increase its output availability and ease production constraints.

    88% confidence
    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)supply up

    Cement and concrete

    More fly ash and slag supply relaxes a key supplementary-cementitious input constraint, supporting higher cement and concrete availability.

    82% confidence
    Electricity (electrolytic refining)supply up

    China

    China carries the largest share of this electricity supply relationship, so more coal-fired generation should most directly raise electricity availability there.

    82% confidence
    Gypsum (Natural & Synthetic FGD)supply up

    Cement and concrete

    More coal-fired generation can increase FGD gypsum output, which directly eases a critical input constraint for cement and concrete.

    80% confidence
    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)Stands to benefit

    Eco Material Technologies (now CRH)

    More coal-based generation raises fly ash supply, which materially improves feedstock availability for this large SCM supplier.

    76% confidence
    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)Stands to benefit

    BMIM (Boral Resources fly ash)

    Higher fly ash output from reopened coal units eases supply constraints for this fly-ash business with a meaningful market share.

    67% confidence
    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)Stands to benefit

    Charah SolutionsCHRA

    Additional fly ash availability directly benefits this SCM processor by expanding its input pool and reducing procurement pressure.

    66% confidence
  3. Hop 3

    Eco Material Technologies (now CRH)supply up

    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)

    Reopening coal-based units should increase fly ash and slag availability, modestly improving this input supply for Eco Material Technologies; the edge is only 10% and substitutes exist, so the effect is limited.

    83% confidence
    Chinasupply up

    Gallium

    China supplies 98% of gallium, so higher Chinese industrial power can raise output and global availability of this input.

    82% confidence
    Chinasupply up

    Terbium (Tb) Metal

    With 95% of supply coming from China, more coal-fired capacity can support production and lift availability of terbium metal.

    80% confidence
    ChinaStands to benefit

    e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.ELF

    Because substantially all of its third-party suppliers and manufacturers are in China, more coal-fired generation there can ease production bottlenecks and improve merchandise availability.

    79% confidence
    ChinaStands to benefit

    Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.HBB

    Since roughly two-thirds of its suppliers are based in China, added Chinese generation capacity can improve upstream throughput and reduce sourcing bottlenecks.

    78% confidence
    Chinasupply up

    Artificial Plant Plastics (PE/PP/PVC + Wire)

    Because China accounts for 94.8% of supply, more Chinese power can increase production and availability of these materials and wire.

    77% confidence
    ChinaStands to benefit

    Mettler-Toledo International Inc.MTD

    With approximately 29% of global production in China, more reliable Chinese power should support output from its Chinese operations and ease supply constraints.

    76% confidence
    Charah Solutionssupply up

    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)

    Reopening coal-based units should increase fly ash and slag availability, which eases supply to Charah Solutions, though the effect is modest because this dependency is only a 3% share and alternatives exist.

    67% confidence
    BMIM (Boral Resources fly ash)supply up

    Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs)

    Reopening coal-fired units increases fly ash output, modestly lifting BMIM’s ability to supply Fly Ash & Slag (SCMs), but the effect is muted by the edge’s 6% market share and moderate substitutability.

    58% confidence
  4. Hop 4

    Artificial Plant Plastics (PE/PP/PVC + Wire)supply up

    Home décor

    Reopening coal-based units in China should raise the availability of artificial plant plastics, and home décor is a critical downstream user of that input.

    84% confidence
    Galliumsupply up

    China

    The edge says 98% of gallium supply is in China, so a coal-powered production rebound mainly increases gallium supply there.

    80% confidence
    Terbium (Tb) Metalsupply up

    Rare earth magnets

    Terbium metal is a critical input to rare earth magnets, so improved power availability for refining should increase magnet input availability.

    79% confidence
    Galliumsupply up

    Semiconductors and chips

    Gallium is a critical input for semiconductors and chips, so more gallium supply eases that bottleneck.

    77% confidence
    Terbium (Tb) MetalStands to benefit

    China

    China's 95% supply share makes it the main geography benefiting from any increase in domestic terbium output driven by easier power access.

    72% confidence
    Terbium (Tb) MetalStands to benefit

    China Southern Rare Earth Group

    As the 60% share node on the terbium input-supply edge, this major participant benefits from higher terbium availability after electricity supply improves.

    68% confidence
    Terbium (Tb) MetalStands to benefit

    China Minmetals Rare Earth Co.

    Its 20% share means it also benefits from the same terbium supply relief, though less than the dominant player.

    64% confidence
    Artificial Plant Plastics (PE/PP/PVC + Wire)supply up

    Sinopec (China Petrochemical Corp.)0386.HK

    If Chinese electricity constraints ease, this input should be more available for Sinopec, though the edge shows only moderate substitutability.

    58% confidence
    Artificial Plant Plastics (PE/PP/PVC + Wire)supply up

    LyondellBasell Industries N.V.LYB

    Higher output of artificial plant plastics should modestly improve input availability for LyondellBasell, given the non-sole-supplier edge and short replacement window.

    57% confidence
    Artificial Plant Plastics (PE/PP/PVC + Wire)supply up

    Westlake CorporationWLK

    More artificial plant plastics supply should ease sourcing for Westlake, but the dependency is only moderately substitutable.

    56% confidence
    e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.supply up

    Target CorporationTGT

    If improved electricity availability boosts e.l.f. Beauty's production, its largest customer Target should see more inventory flow, and Target accounts for 18% of e.l.f.'s net sales.

    47% confidence
    e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.supply up

    Walmart Inc.WMT

    If improved electricity availability boosts e.l.f. Beauty's production, Walmart should receive more e.l.f. inventory, and Walmart accounts for 13% of e.l.f.'s net sales.

    46% confidence
    e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.supply up

    Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN

    If improved electricity availability boosts e.l.f. Beauty's production, Amazon should see greater product availability from e.l.f., and Amazon accounts for 11% of e.l.f.'s net sales.

    45% confidence
    Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.supply up

    Walmart Inc.WMT

    Walmart is an even larger disclosed customer at 29% of Hamilton Beach revenue, so easier production at Hamilton Beach could modestly increase supply flowing to Walmart.

    44% confidence
    e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.supply up

    Sephora (LVMH)

    If improved electricity availability boosts e.l.f. Beauty's production, Sephora should receive more e.l.f. inventory, and Sephora accounts for 10% of e.l.f.'s net sales.

    44% confidence
    Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.supply up

    Amazon.com, Inc.AMZN

    Amazon is a major disclosed customer at 19% of Hamilton Beach revenue, so a China electricity relief shock that lifts Hamilton Beach output could modestly increase product supply to Amazon.

    39% confidence

Where it lands

What you buy, and what you own.

Goods you buy

Copper and electrical wiring · Cement and concrete · Home décor · Rare earth magnets · Semiconductors and chips

Companies you may own

Eco Material Technologies (now CRH)BMIM (Boral Resources fly ash)CHRAELFHBBMTDChina Southern Rare Earth GroupChina Minmetals Rare Earth Co.0386.HKLYBWLKTGTWMTAMZNSephora (LVMH)

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