From state monopoly to renewable portfolio: Restructuring China's electric utility

Deregulation and decentralization in the electricity sector have thrived worldwide since the early 1980s. China also started restructuring its electricity industry since the mid-1980s. The reform shares many common features with restructuring practices in other countries and exhibits some unique cha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy policy 2008-05, Vol.36 (5), p.1697-1711
Main Authors: Ma, Chunbo, He, Lining
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
China
China (People's Republic)
Decentralization
Deregulation
Economic data
Electric energy
Electric power
Electric utilities
Electricity
Electricity distribution
Energy
Energy economics
Energy industry
Energy policy
Exact sciences and technology
General, economic and professional studies
Monopoly
Power supply
Reforms
Renewable energy sources
Renewable portfolio
Studies
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Summary:Deregulation and decentralization in the electricity sector have thrived worldwide since the early 1980s. China also started restructuring its electricity industry since the mid-1980s. The reform shares many common features with restructuring practices in other countries and exhibits some unique characteristics as well. To some extent, two features, namely governmental administrative departments’ dual role of government and business inherited from a highly centralized planned economy, and the coal-intensive nature of power generation, has determined many aspects of the evolution of China's electric power sector. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive account of the process with some emphasis on recent developments. We also identify some of the features that are similar to electricity market reforms in other countries and, most importantly, those that characterize the uniqueness of the restructuring practices in China's electricity industry through investigating the administrative framework, price and investment mechanisms, and associated legislation and policy settings at each of the five stages in the evolution of the electric utility sector. The paper concludes with a discussion and summary of some generic characteristics and remaining challenges.
ISSN:0301-4215
1873-6777
DOI:10.1016/j.enpol.2008.01.012