The nation's electricity industry watchdog has submitted an
emergency plan to the State Council 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 is hardly able to keep up with surging consumption that is
being driven by the nation's robust economic growth.
China's electricity demand rose 16.1 percent year-on-year to
650.5 billion kilowatt-hours in the first four months of 2004,
while power generation rose 15.8 percent 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 percent 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
percent 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 Daily June 5, 2004)