China's energy imports to increase

China Daily
June 2, 2011

China will tackle an impending power shortfall by increasing energy imports, said the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the top economic planner, on Wednesday.

The nation is expected to see a serious shortage this summer, said Li Yang, director-general of the NDRC's Bureau of Economic Operations Adjustment.

"With the coming of summer, the peak time for energy consumption, and the rapid growth of industrial production, the gap between electricity demand and supply will become more obvious and some areas may face a shortfall in coal and oil supplies," the bureau said in a statement.

Some experts say the nation will experience an energy shortfall of more than 30 million kilowatts this year.

China's net coal imports declined by 13.56 million tons, or 27.2 percent year-on-year in the first four months of 2011. Rising international coal prices, about 100 yuan ($15.4) more for each ton than domestic prices, are the major cause of the decline, according to the bureau.

The use of natural gas for power generation has also been increased to address the problem of tight supply. Gas-fired power plants in six provinces, including Henan and Jiangsu, tripled the supply of electricity they generated using natural gas.

"Imports of natural gas increased relatively rapidly," Li said, without providing details.
To read more click here...