Society

2/3 respondents back power pricing proposals

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-22 21:38

BEIJING - China's top economic planning body said Friday that 61 percent of Chinese respondents have expressed support for a proposed tiered electricity pricing mechanism aimed at saving energy.

This came after the country's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on October 9 started to seek public views on its intentions to change the way residential electricity use was charged.

After almost two weeks, 21,715 submissions from a wide range of people, including urban and rural residents, workers, retirees and college students, had been received, said a statement on the NDRC website.

The proposed pricing reform offers two plans that would leave either 70 percent or 80 percent of households with electricity consumption of up to 110 kWh or 140 kWh per month almost unaffected, as their bills would remain the same or rise by 0.01 yuan ($0.0015) per kWh.

Another 20 or 15 percent of the households with consumption up to 210 kWh or 270 kWh each month would have to pay at least 0.05 yuan per kWh more for the power used beyond the line of 110 kWh or 140 kWh.

For the remaining 10 percent or 5 percent who consume more than 210 kWh or 270 kWh per month, the excess would cost at least 0.2 yuan per kWh more.

Supporters of the reform believed the new pricing mechanism would be "very necessary" in saving energy, protecting the environment, and advancing energy-efficient technologies, the statement said.

But among the supporters, 32 percent suggested raising the consumption limit in the first tier, while reducing prices within the line.

Meanwhile, 24 percent of supporters suggested factors such as seasonal, urban-rural, and regional differences be considered in the reform.

Cao Changqing, director of the NDRC department of pricing, said though the percentage of households in each tier would be the same nationwide, different provinces and regions could implement their own caps, given that economic development varied across China.

Another 34.5 percent of respondents opposed the reform as they were concerned the tiered pricing would add to living costs.

The remaining 4.5 percent did not say whether they supported or opposed the plan.

It is still unclear when the new pricing mechanism will be implemented.