Beijing to achieve gas-fired heating

With the third and final phase of Beijing's southeast thermoelectric center in Chaoyang district beginning a weeklong trial, the city is expected to achieve heating by natural gas in its six downtown districts this winter. The move is part of an anti-smog effort.

The gas-fired power plant will be officially put into use before the start of the heating period, according to the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission and the Urban Management Commission on Monday.

To address air pollution, Beijing closed its four major coal-fired power plants and replaced them with four gas-fired plants at a cost of around 50 billion yuan ($7.55 billion).