|
Power watchdog warns of supply cuts
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-06-04 22:47 The nation's electricity industry watchdog has
submitted an emergency plan to the State Council, China's cabinet, to get the
nation well-prepared for possible massive power cuts over the next few months.
The State Electric Power Regulatory Commission warned that power shortages
could worsen in the summer after two-thirds of the nation's territory suffered
rolling power cuts in the first four months of this year.
The emergency plan was submitted as the country's electricity supply remains
hardly able to keep up with surging consumption which is being driven by the
nation's robust economic growth.
China's electricity demand rose 16.1 per cent year-on-year to 650.5 billion
kilowatt-hours in the first four months of 2004, while power generation rose
15.8 per cent to 647.3 billion kilowatt-hours, according to the commission.
Two-thirds of the nation's territory -- 24 provinces and regions --
experienced blackouts, power switch-offs or electricity rationing during the
period.
"Since April, electricity shortages have obviously intensified in some
regions. The electricity supply is tight in general," said Shi Yubo, the
commission's vice-chairman.
The commission expected the full-year electricity shortage in China to reach
60 billion kilowatt-hours, or 3 per cent of last year's total power consumption.
It expected that the country will lack 20,000 megawatts of generating
capacity in the second quarter, compared with the full-year shortage of 15,000
megawatts last year.
The shortage will rise further to between 25,000 and 30,000 megawatts in the
third quarter when air conditioners will use huge amounts of power during the
sweltering summer months. The shortage will then fall back to 10,000 megawatts
during the fourth quarter, Shi said.
Shi also expressed concern over the safety of the power industry as most of
the generating plants are operating at full capacity without any reserve margin.
The power grids usually keep a normal reserve margin of 10 per cent of total
transmission capacity in order to prevent them from blowing out.
Shi said the system is at stake as generators and grids have few chances for
maintenance.
The increasing theft of transmission lines and destruction of other
infrastructure facilities also pose a threat to the system, Shi added.
The country is speeding up the construction of new generators and increasing
the capacity of power transmission to maintain stable supplies.
New generators with combined capacity of 130,000 megawatts are under
construction, including generators of 37,000 megawatts that will put into
operation this year.
China's total generating capacity increased to 385,000 megawatts last year.
Shi said grid companies are working hard to increase transmission from
electricity-rich areas to power-pinched regions.
In the first quarter, the inter-regional power exchange has more than doubled
over the same period of last year to 8.1 billion
kilowatt-hours.
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top China
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
