BEIJING - The Chinese government on Friday released a regulation providing that power companies should step up their emergency response capabilities to power safety accidents to alleviate and eliminate damage.

Power safety incidents refer to those that disturb the operation of a power grid or power supplies, according to the regulation posted on the government's website.

The regulation will take effect September 1 this year.

The intention of the regulation is to make power companies implement preventive measures to avoid power accidents.

It also provides that they should make timely and precise reports regarding power incidents to local regulatory authorities. Power companies should carry out emergency responses to prevent the impact from spreading and resume power generation and supplies as soon as possible, according to the regulation.

In terms of responses to blackouts, the regulation stipulates that local power regulatory authorities should give guidance to power companies to strengthen rescue services and material storage.

Power companies that are responsible for accidents will be fined from 100,000 yuan ($15,500) to 5 million yuan according to the damage. Officials of power companies will face a fine from 30 percent to 80 percent of their annual income, the regulation said.

Officials of power firms who do not carry out immediate relief work after accidents, delay reports, or are absent without leave during inspection period will face a fine of 60 percent to 80 percent of their annual income.

Power firms will face a fine between 1 million yuan to 5 million yuan if they are found providing false information, covering up accidents, forging and deliberately destroying power accident scene, transferring capital and property, destroying evidence, refusing investigation, committing perjury, or escaping.

Local governments and power regulatory authorities will receive punishment if they delay relief work and reports, provide false information, interrupt investigation or commit perjury.