BEIJING, May 31 -- Beijing will not impose compulsory brownouts or power-downs for factories this summer despite a predicted energy shortage, a senior city official said yesterday. 8 x6 G6 L- {( N% w Q
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"Peak power consumption is expected to top 12.2 million kilowatts, or 14.6 per cent higher than last year," said Zhang Gong, vice-director of the Beijing Development and Reform Commission. ! {# z" p, Z( a/ u
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Speaking at a press conference Zhang said the electricity shortage during peak periods this summer could reach 5 million kilowatts, or even 7.3 million kilowatts in some parts of the capital. + O1 z3 H, O1 b7 q& g( M 7 G* W$ G" ^. P/ O Limited power generation, slow grid construction, a rapid increase in consumption, skyrocketing prices for coal and hydro-electric power and uncertain weather will create a sharp contradiction between demand and supply, Zhang warned. 0 \/ p; b2 b2 }" i9 d
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To deal with the shortage, Beijing's local government will shift from administrative control measures to a long-term technology-oriented plan, said the official. 6 H( } ~' m$ b" U# i' R9 q' D' i8 X
"Beijing's grid is a typical power recipient, which means two-thirds of its electricity comes from other provinces," said Chen Tiecheng, a commission official in charge of power and coal management. 3 i/ k. s5 x5 e4 }9 B/ v% y8 A* V4 C0 d1 Z- D- S
Li Tongzhi, vice-general manager of the Beijing Electric Power Company, told reporters that the city has invested 1.53 billion yuan (US$189 million) in upgrading the capital's grid so far this year. 4 ~) l1 H* R% N' r/ N( I
0 T8 Q# t6 S& [ Beijing also use pricing leverage to try to level consumption, said Zhang, adding that factories would be encouraged operate outside peak power-usage hours. ( ~$ B4 O; e7 v6 Y. G+ M% [; l6 Y9 ~4 b9 X* K5 S6 ?! }
At peak hours, power costs 1.1 yuan (US$0.14) per kilowatt-hour, versus a lowest off-peak price of 0.26 yuan (US$0.03). ; S* v) K7 v( H, } h& c
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"Such measures have greatly reduced the power consumption load in the city over the past two years," said Zhang, adding that a compensation system would be adopted for firms which voluntary adjust their consumption. ; s8 F/ w, A; s; U
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Other measures will include differential seasonal power prices, raising the temperature of air conditioners, and installing ice air conditioners which stockpile ice during non-peak hours. # u$ U; x4 H8 \8 L0 K J; |
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Schools, hospitals and government and military units will adopt differential seasonal power prices next year to conserve electricity, said the official. 7 w6 p6 n/ v5 W2 \
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"Air conditioners in government offices should be kept at 26 C at the minimum," said Chen. + @. U9 h$ ^! O- E0 b; p
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"Through this, hundreds of thousands of kilowatts-hours of the peak hour power consumption load can be saved." & @# x7 X2 K- n( C9 D
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The municipal government will map out compulsory standards that request every new building whose refrigeration area surpasses 30,000 square metres to install ice air conditioners, added Zhang. + C4 K0 |4 _, \, \$ p0 [2 m, K9 \3 W
At present there are 51 ice air conditioners in Beijing. There are expected to be 78 by the end of the year, saving 50,000 kilowatts-hours of power consumption during peak times. - Z/ F: e! V& A X' G, F2 }; [6 a' E# x/ k% x
(Source: China Daily)-%-13189-%--%-13585-%-