KUNMING, Jun 24, 2008 -- AsiaPulse

To speed up closing down small thermal power generating units is an important move for China's power industry to realize scientific and clean development, as well as one of the urgent tasks of China in realizing its energy saving and pollutant discharge reduction targets set for the "11th Five-Year Program" period.

Statistics show that China has so far closed down 23.51 million kWh of small thermal power generating units since 2006, accounting for 47 per cent of the total to be closed down in the "11th Five-Year Program" period. After these shut-downs, China can save 29.6 million tons of coal and cut sulfure dioxide discharge by 500,000 tons a year.

China's power industry has developed rapidly and the power supply capacity has increased obviously in recent years, said Zhang Guobao, Vice Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Since 2003, China's newly increased installed capacity has increased significantly and climbed from 517 million kWh to 713 million kWh in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The situation of tight power supply in China has basically been eased. However, the problem of irrational structure of power industry remains serious, the proportion of small thermal power generating units remains high, leading to high energy costs and high discharge of major pollutants.

Since 2007, local competent departments and power enterprises have intensified their efforts in closing down small thermal power capacities, and have over-fulfilled the shut-down target for 2007.

(XIC)

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