| Power production safety situation faces challenges(Xinhua)
 Updated: 2006-02-14 09:58
 
 Chinese power production safety faces serious challenges despite stable 
operation in 2005, said a senior official with the State Electricity Regulatory 
Commission (SERC) Monday. 
 Shi Yubo, vice chairman of the SERC, said at a conference on power production 
safety that China's overall power production safety situation was basically 
stable in 2005 with the summer peak supply ensured and accidents sharply turning 
downward. 
 However, Shi noted that China's power production safety situation is still 
facing challenges with changes in electricity supply. 
 Regional or seasonal power supply shortages will continue to occur, the lack 
of a market-oriented coal pricing system will affect coal supply for power 
generation, and some outdated power grids will bring potential risks for power 
production, said Shi. 
 He said more new power generation equipment is being put into production. 
 Moreover, with the deepening of the electricity system reform, some problems 
at deep levels will emerge which will bring new problems to stable production, 
he said. 
 According to Shi, in 2006, more attention will be paid to the basic 
management of safety production, improvement of a quick response system for 
emergencies, coordination of power producers and power grids and enhancement of 
power safety information reporting and sharing. 
 The SERC will make amendments to the provisional regulations oninvestigation 
of power production accidents in 2006 and issue supplementary policies for dam 
safety in hydro-electric power stations and protection of secondary power 
systems. 
 China consumed 2468.9 gigawatt-hours in 2005, up 13.45 percent year on year. 
 With power supply and demand situation still serious and the problems of 
coal, electricity and oil supply and transportation remain unsolved, the country 
saw 74 grid accidents in 2005, 127 cases down from a year ago and 427 equipment 
accidents, 132 cases down with no equipment accidents killing over 10 people 
reported. 
 
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