The Chinese government plans to invest a record 18.85 billion yuan in the construction of the East China Power Grid in 2004 to relieve power shortages in the eastern region.

The region contributes one third of the country's economic strength, but consumes just a fifth of the power supply. Since 2000, the East China Power Grid has run at full capacity. In the summer of 2003, the region suffered the worst power shortage in history.

This winter, because of year-end maintenance and the scarcity of coal for generating, the power grid faces a shortage of 9 million kilowatts. The figure is expected to reach 10 million kilowatts in the days with the lowest temperatures.

To ease the shortage, the East China Power Grid Corporation plans to merge the Fujian power grid into its own and put 23 generating units, with a total capacity of 7.79 million kilowatts, into operation in 2004.

The corporation will also build a total of 1,672-kilometer, 500-kilovolt line and bring into operation 18.5 million-kilovolt-ampere transformer equipment. 

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2004)