China said to push talks to create $241bn power giant

China’s state-owned enterprise regulator has asked coal mining giant Shenhua Group Corp. and power generator China Datang Corp. to discuss a possible merger, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The talks are at an early stage and there’s no guarantee of a deal, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information isn’t public. A merger would combine China’s biggest coal producer with one of its largest power generators to create a utility giant with about 1.66-trillion yuan ($241-billion) of assets.