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China to increase power capacity by 85m kW in 2010

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-27 13:33

China, with the world's second largest power capacity after the United States, will add 85 million kilowatts of new capacity in 2010 to bring the total to around 950 million kilowatts, industry association said on Tuesday.

Of the newly increased capacity, 55 million kilowatts will be coal-fired, 15 million kilowatts for hydropower, 13 million kilowatts for wind power and 1.08 million kilowatts for nuclear power, the China Electricity Council (CEC) said in a report.

Power consumption increase is estimated to quicken to 9 percent in 2010 from 6 percent in 2009 to 3.97 trillion kw-h driven by continuous economic recovery, the report said.

The nation will spend 660 billion yuan ($97 billion) upgrading power infrastructure, less than 2009's 755.8 billion yuan.

Last year's hefty spending is boosted by government's stimulus package to tackle the global economic recession. As the economic contingency measures gradually wind down, the investment will be less aggressive this year, said Xue Jing, analyst with CEC.

The association said power coal will face pressure for price hikes in 2010 due to tight supply.

It called for further reform of electricity prices and give market a bigger say in setting power coal prices to make them better reflect real demand.