Metalnewsnet 24 May ：

Xinhua reported that China energy watchdog, the National Energy Administration signed agreements with 26 provincial governments to close at least 10 million kilowatts of outdated coal fuelled power capacity before October this year.

The agreement means China will close 70 million kilowatts of small scale, outdated thermal power station capacity in the Eleventh Five Year Plan period from 2006 to 2010. If achieved on time, the plan will save 81 million tonnes of coal annually, or 2.6% of the coal used in 2005; eliminate 1.4 million tonnes of sulfur dioxide emissions or 5.5% of 2005 levels and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 164 million tonnes, about 3.2% of 2005 levels.

According to the administration some 4.11 million kilowatts of outdated thermal power station capacity will be eliminated in 2010.

The 26 provinces, regions and municipalities include
1. Jiangsu
2. Shandong
3. Guangdong
4. Henan
5. Hebei
6. Jilin
7. Sichuan
8. Fujian
9. Heilongjiang
10. Shaanxi.

The agreement was struck at a national work conference in Beijing discussing the elimination of backward production capacity.

(from Xinhua)