East China's Shandong Province is planning to invest 15 billion yuan (1.8 billion US dollars) in its energy sector in 2005, according to the provincial development and reform commission.

A senior official of the commission said the province will invest 6.06 billion yuan (about 730.1 million US dollar) in the coal sector, with plans to increase coal production by 9 million tons. Most of the funds will be poured into the development of the Juye coal field in the southeast part of the province, which boasts proven reserves of 5.57 billion tons.

The province also plans to spend 9.5 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion US dollars) in the exploration of oil fields and natural gas in an effort to raise the production of crude oil by 2.8 million tons this year.