(Yicai Global) Jan. 18 -- China’s demand for electricity is set to continue rising this year, after a surge last year led to power shortages in some areas, according to an official at the country’s top economic planning body.

To guarantee electricity supply, China should accelerate the development of wind power, photovoltaic projects and other sources of power as well as enhance the efficiency of coal-fired plants, said Li Yunqing, director of the Economic Operations Adjustment Bureau at the National Development and Reform Commission.

China should also make the most of the advantages of unified scheduling across the entire power-generation network to achieve cross-regional adjustments according to usage highs and lows, Li said today, adding that the country should guide residents to use electricity during off-peak periods.

The nation used 8.31 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity last year, an annual rise of 10.3 percent, with a maximum load of about 1.2 billion kilowatts, up 10.8 percent, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. 

Many provinces and cities including Jiangsu, Guangdong and Yunnan restricted electricity consumption last year due to surging demand and higher prices of thermal coal used in power generation. 

The government took measures to guarantee power supply and stabilize prices, Li said, adding that there has been global tension over energy resources and huge price hikes in overseas markets. 

China’s coal production tallied about 4.1 billion tons last year, enough to satisfy reasonable demand, NBS data showed. The amount of coal for power generation transported via the country’s railways climbed over 20 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, and throughput at coal ports in North China hit record highs. 

As of Jan. 16, a total of 166 million tons of coal were stored in the power plants under China’s unified deployment scheme, covering use for 21 days, the highest-ever level. Also, most provinces have already achieved full coverage of coal contracts for power generation and heating.

Editor: Tom Litting