Chinese vice premier stresses importance of power supply

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, addresses a teleconference on ensuring adequate supply of power amid growing electricity demand over the summer, in Beijing, capital of China, June 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Wednesday called for efforts to ensure an adequate supply of power amid growing electricity demand over the summer.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while addressing a teleconference. He said that safeguarding the electricity supply is a key part of the current economic work.

While maximizing the role of coal in underpinning the power supply, the country needs to set up a regulatory mechanism for the coal supply to meet the rising demand for electricity, the vice premier said.

Major coal-producing regions should actively seek ways of increasing the coal output, Han said, calling for stricter regulation of coal producers' performance of mid- and long-term contracts in a bid to stabilize coal prices.

The country should also ensure that the rail, road and port transportation of coal operates steadily, improve the incentive and restraint mechanism for coal supply and prices, and put in place fiscal and financial support, Han said.