Cost of heating to rely on usage

The municipal government spent more than 200 million yuan to prolong the heating period this winter, said Li Nan, committee member of the Beijing Municipal Commission of City Administration and Environment.

Li said the money was mainly spent on fuel because the heating company had responsibility for the operating costs.

The Beijing Administrative Rule of Heating Management, which was released on Thursday, was adopted by the Beijing government on Nov 10, 2009, and will come into effect on April 1, 2010.