Home>News Center>China
       
 

Staggered hours to save city power
By Cao Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-12-16 00:58

More than 8,000 enterprises in Shanghai will soon shift their working hours to nights or weekends in order to ease peak-time winter power demands.

"The implementation, to last through next March, is supposed to save 600,000 kilowatts of power at most, and will hopefully fill the electricity gap the city faces unless any extremely bad weather comes up," said Du Qinde, an official from the Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company.

"This is only the first of the four measures the local government will adopt to ensure an adequate power supply, especially for household consumption and for key manufacturers."

Fu Yin, a Shanghai General Motors spokesman, said the company has not received any notification to cut its power use during peak times.

But he added that "losses could be reduced to minimums upon being informed beforehand as was proved in summertime blackouts that were instituted."

ABB Shanghai acknowledged that it was notified.

"But the impact it will have is acceptable," said Pan Xiaoying from the company.

According to Yu, the city will witness a maximum 14.2 million kilowatts of power demand in peak times this winter, a 2.28 million kilowatt power increase year-on-year.

"With the maximum capacity the local power grid could produce being 11 million kilowatt, and another 2.1 million kilowatt purchased from other cities, there is still a 1.1 million kilowatt electricity deficit," said Yu.

In this past summer, many local enterprises in the city were asked to temporarily shut down, scenic lights in some places were turned off when temperatures reached above 37 C and officials were asked to keep their air-conditioners in offices and hotels above 26 degrees.

But the situation will become even worse next year and the same in 2006, according to Ling Fangming, an official from the Shanghai Energy Savings Association.

It is said that Shanghai's power consumption in 2005 will reach a record 18.8 million kilowatts with a shortage of 4.2 million kilowatts.

Apart from Shanghai, four provinces in East China -- Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Fujian -- will face power shortages this winter, with Zhejiang suffering the severest situation.

"The power gap for Zhejiang will reach 8.8 million kilowatts," said Ling.

"The shortage is not expected to be alleviated until 2007 when more power facilities are completed and put into use."



 
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

China to build high speed railways next year

 

   
 

New court rules to better guard IPR

 

   
 

754 officials punished for fund misuse

 

   
 

Chen's stance a "threat" to peace

 

   
 

Iraqi defence minister: Iran is "No 1 enemy"

 

   
 

Pakistan, China sign 7 deals on projects

 

   
  Costly National Theater faces financial woes
   
  Experts: Firms need IPR management aid
   
  Forex savings drop by 5.9% in November
   
  Staggered hours to save city power
   
  Hong Kong residents eye life in Guangdong
   
  China to build high speed railways next year
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Guangdong's fourth nuke plant in pipeline
   
Boom of new power plants a concern
   
Watchdog calls for check of power plants
   
Watchdog calls for check of power plants
   
Preparation for controversial hydraulic project goes on
   
Power plant investment face curbs
   
Over-investment in power to be cracked down
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Advertisement