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Beijing will raise the price of electricity for government and
industrial use during peak hours this summer by 5 per cent.
The move is aimed at conserving energy, a much prized commodity across
the country.
It has been reported that thousands of firms will take a week off to
try to avoid some of the extra expense.
The peak hours for electricity are 8-11 am and 6-11 pm.
Wang Haiping, spokesman and deputy director of the Beijing Municipal
Commission of Development and Reform, announced the move yesterday at a
press conference.
But he said electricity prices from 11 pm to 7 am this summer will be
18 per cent cheaper than the lowest price last year.
Some reports have said that using electricity in peak hours this summer
will be more than 400 per cent more expensive than using it during
non-peak hours.
Last summer it was 300 per cent more expensive, sources said.
Beijing still faces a contradiction between electricity supply and
consumption, the official said.
In summer there is often a consumption peak due to the massive use of
air conditioners.
It is predicted the capital city will consume 6-8 per cent more
electricity than last summer.
The city will be short of 1 million kilowatts during peak hours in the
summer, the official said.
The good news, however, is that electricity for family uses, buses, the
metro and agriculture will not see higher prices, according to sources.
Large-scale enterprises that consume a lot of electricity are
encouraged to use energy-saving equipment and try to operate machines when
electricity costs less outside the peak hours.
It is reported that about 5,800 industrial enterprises will have a rest
period for a week between July and August, during the peak.
The municipal government will invest 2 billion yuan in
upgrading the electricity network.
Emergency plans will be drafted to prepare for possible shortages this
summer.
Yesterday's press conference also revealed that public bidding to
choose the operators for four metro lines in Beijing will open.
The No 4, No 5, No 9 and No 10 lines are now being built.
Around 15 billion yuan of non-governmental investment
to operate the metro lines is expected, according to Wang.
The local government spent 35 billion yuan (US$4.2
billion) on infrastructure
for the lines.
The No 9 metro line is expected to be completed by 2010 and the other
three lines by 2008, in time for the 29th Olympic Games.
The new airport expressway, the third-phase of the Beijing-Chengde
expressway, the new part of the Beijing-Tianjin expressway and the No 110
national highway will also invite non-governmental investment through
franchises, the official said.
(China Daily) | 
Updated: 2005-04-08 14:15
