BEIJING - Datang International Power, a listed unit of China Datang, a major Chinese power producer, said Sunday its net profit fell 22.78 percent year-on-year to 1.91 billion yuan ($303.2 million) due to rising thermal coal prices.

Business revenue rose 19.3 percent from a year earlier to reach 72.38 billion yuan, the listed company said in a statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Earnings per share dropped 27.08 percent year-on-year to 0.148 yuan.

The company said soaring thermal coal prices bit into the profit of thermal power stations last year.

The company generated 203.71 billion kWh of electricity last year, up 14.14 percent year-on-year.

China Datang has a controlling stake of 34.71 percent in Datang International Power.