Power plants across North Asia are running at full tilt as the region braces for the early onset of winter, underpinning prices for the coal, gas and oil they need to churn out electricity. Commodity market analysts blame the La Nina weather pattern for the chill, with temperatures in Seoul and Beijing forecast to drop below levels typical for the time of year until year-end, while many parts of Japan have also been hit by colder conditions than usual. La Nina, which tends to occur unpredictably every two to seven years, is characterized by unusually cold temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It is seen as the opposite of the more famous El Nino phenomenon. That means power demand is growing as people crank up heating in their homes and […]