Beijing, June 12: China has announced that the country's first regional electricity market would be established within the current year. This would end the monopoly of the big power companies. The move was considered historic in the break-up of the monopoly of the electricity sector and would trigger the restructuring of the sector, a spokesman of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) said.
The regional electricity market will take shape in China's north-eastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. It will also cover Chifeng and Tongliaoin cities and Hinggan and Hulun Buir Leagues (prefectures) in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
The north-eastern electricity market will undergo trial operations at the end of October, this year and begin formal operations in January 2004.
The north-eastern power grid company was expected to be established soon, said the spokesman, referring to the establishment as a priority for China's opening of the regional electricity market.
Bureau Report