Chinese power production safety faces serious challenges despite stable operation in 2005, said a senior official with the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) Monday.

Shi Yubo, vice chairman of the SERC, said at a conference on power production safety that China's overall power production safety situation was basically stable in 2005 with the summer peak supply ensured and accidents sharply turning downward.

However, Shi noted that China's power production safety situation is still facing challenges with changes in electricity supply.

Regional or seasonal power supply shortages will continue to occur, the lack of a market-oriented coal pricing system will affect coal supply for power generation, and some outdated power grids will bring potential risks for power production, said Shi.

He said more new power generation equipment is being put into production.

Moreover, with the deepening of the electricity system reform, some problems at deep levels will emerge which will bring new problems to stable production, he said.

According to Shi, in 2006, more attention will be paid to the basic management of safety production, improvement of a quick response system for emergencies, coordination of power producers and power grids and enhancement of power safety information reporting and sharing.

The SERC will make amendments to the provisional regulations on investigation of power production accidents in 2006 and issue supplementary policies for dam safety in hydro-electric power stations and protection of secondary power systems.

China consumed 2468.9 gigawatt-hours in 2005, up 13.45 percent year on year.

With power supply and demand situation still serious and the problems of coal, electricity and oil supply and transportation remain unsolved, the country saw 74 grid accidents in 2005, 127 cases down from a year ago and 427 equipment accidents, 132 cases down with no equipment accidents killing over 10 people reported.

Source: Xinhua