China warns too many power plants are being built

China has said it is battling a proliferation of new power plants being built without permission and threaten to upset plans for a more environmentally friendly energy mix.

“A number of power stations built against regulations still need to be dealt with, which is very difficult,” Zhang Guobao, the deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a briefing in Beijing.

Local authorities have been moving ahead with new power plant construction to meet a serious electricity shortage in recent years.

“Stimulated by the severe strain on the power supply in the past few years, there is still a strong impetus to construct more power stations in various regions,” Zhang said.

Since the central government does not have much control over the projects, it also does not get to decide how they fit into the power mix the planning agencies are steering towards.

“The absence of orderly construction will lead to the deterioration of China’s power mix,” Zhang said.

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