A campaign is underway in China to curb soaring energy consumption in key industries and is expected to save 100 million tons of coal in the 2006-2010 period.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Monday urged local supervisory departments to finish an inspection of an energy-saving plan of 1,008 companies, which make up one third of the country's energy consumption every year.

They are in nine key industries: steel and iron, non-ferrous metal, coal, power, oil and petrochemicals, textile and paper making, chemicals and construction materials.

Companies that can not finish their energy-saving plan in time or commit fraud in the process will be deprived of any preferential policies, said the NDRC.

As its economic engine revs higher, China faces serious energy problems. It aims to reduce its energy consumption by 20 percent during the 2006-2010 period. But the country used more energy than ever before in the first three quarters of this year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2006)