The article notes that China is going so far as to excavate existing landfills to source feedstock for these under utilized incinerators. Perhaps they could be importing trash from neighboring countries for disposal as well?
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%27s_waste_import_ban
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chittagong_Ship_Breaking_Yard
In China, these power plants are part of the urban waste management system, they are built to process trash, not to generate profit. As a waste disposal measure, their capacity must exceed the city’s waste production rate; otherwise, garbage would pile up.