China is considering a major reform of its power generating
system that will prioritize the operation of power plants based on
their efficiency and environmental friendliness.
The State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), the National
Development and Reform Commission and several other authorities are
currently conducting a feasibility study on the proposed
reform.
Currently, all the power plants -- thermal, nuclear, hydropower
and wind, run at the same capacity regulated only by demand.
Under the new system, they will be activated in a pre-arranged
sequence. Hydropower plants, wind mills, rubbish-burning plants
will first operate at their full capacity.
When power demand rises nuclear and natural gas power plants
will be activated.
Coal and oil-burning plants, particularly smaller ones, will be
the last to add to the grid.
"This is a major reform in the electricity supply system. It
will revolutionize the old power management system," the China
Business News quoted an official with the SERC as saying.
Preliminary finding show that if the reform works it could
save100 million tons of coal from being burned.
The study indicates this reform alone would allow China to meet
its goal of reducing energy consumption by 20 percent per unit
gross domestic product (GDP) by 2010, an expert close to the study
said.
The 20 percent drop in energy consumption per unit of GDP is a
major goal in China's current five year plan as government seeks to
reduce the country's increasing dependence on imported oil to fuel
its dynamic economy.
To reach the goal the government had planned to reduce energy
consumption per unit of GDP by 4 percent in 2006.
Official statistics, however, indicate that the country's energy
consumption in the first half of the year actually outpaced the
growth of its economy.
(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2006)