China will take necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply
in the country as demand surges during the winter heating season, the
top energy regulator said. Huang Xuenong, director of the electricity department of the National
Energy Administration, said: "Energy demand has increased significantly
in the country during this winter due to the lower temperatures and the
sustained economic recovery." Electricity demand has risen sharply in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces
this winter. Power consumption in Hunan and Jiangxi rose by 17.2 percent
and 19.07 percent on a yearly basis during the first 28 days of this
month, according to data provided by the NEA. Huang said that the National Development and Reform Commission and
the NEA are working with relevant local governments and power companies
to ensure adequate power supply in the country. It has also drafted
emergency plans, increased coal storage levels in key regions and major
power plants as well as strengthened the monitoring and early warning
system. By Monday, coal stockpiles at the country's power plants were
adequate for 17 days of consumption, while those in Hunan and Jiangxi
were sufficient for 25 days and 16 days of consumption, a high reading
from recent years, said Huang. "Despite mounting pressure, we are able to balance supply and demand," the NDRC said in a statement published on Monday. "We have made preparations in advance and formulated a thorough
emergency plan for the new cold spell. We will work with other
departments, local governments and relevant enterprises to secure
electricity, coal and natural gas supplies." To meet rising electricity and coal demand, the NDRC said it will ask
major coal-producing provinces like Shanxi and Shaanxi, and the Inner
Mongolia autonomous region to boost production, increase coal storage in
power plants, increase coal supply for key regions like Hunan and
Jiangxi and debottleneck coal transportation, especially from major
production areas. According to the NDRC, it will also strive to increase natural gas
supplies. More efforts will also be made to urge upstream companies to
operate at full capacity, bolster clean heating efforts in China's
northern regions and strengthen oversight over pricing.
|