"Severe Power Shortage"... China Requests Support from Russian Energy Companies

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] China, which has recently been experiencing severe power shortages, is reported to have requested Russia to increase its electricity supply.

A spokesperson for Russia's state-owned energy company 'Inter RAO' stated to RIA Novosti on the 29th (local time) that they are reviewing the possibility of increasing power supply.

Inter RAO holds a monopoly position in Russia's electricity exports.

The company spokesperson said that China requested an increase in supply due to power shortages in its northern regions and that they are discussing the technical feasibility of this request.

Recently, China has been suffering from serious power shortages, with many industrial facilities shutting down operations.

On the 29th, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, "China is experiencing its worst power shortage in 10 years," adding, "(Due to the ongoing power shortage) China's manufacturing sector is falling into chaos."

According to the media, out of 31 administrative regions in China, emergency power measures have been issued in about 20 regions.

Local experts attribute this to a combination of reduced operation rates at coal-fired power plants due to coal supply shortages and the Chinese government's strict carbon emission reduction policies.

In particular, conflicts with Australia have limited imports of Australian coal, further exacerbating the power supply shortage.

SCMP reported that the current coal reserves in China are enough for 15 days of use, marking the lowest level ever recorded. Authorities' guidelines require holding at least 20 days' worth of coal during off-peak seasons.

In response, authorities have initiated emergency measures to increase power supply.

On the 29th, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China announced policies to ensure stable energy supply, including diversifying coal imports, signing long-term coal contracts, rational electricity consumption, energy cost pricing (electricity rate increases), and controlling unnecessary power usage.

Russia, a major coal exporter, is willing to expand its export volume to China.

However, Russia points out that China's strict restrictions on freight trains, the transportation means, are obstacles to coal exports.

According to TASS news agency, Russian Railways (RZD) stated that if China is ready to accept freight train transportation through border crossing points, they can increase coal supply.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.