Premier calls for adequate energy supplies, stable prices

Electricity vital for people's well-being, nation's social, economic development

Premier Li Keqiang called on Tuesday for adequate energy supplies and price stability to ensure people's well-being and the nation's overall social and economic development.

Li made the remarks during an inspection tour of the State Grid Corp of China headquarters in Beijing ahead of Spring Festival, which falls on Jan 22. During the tour, he sent his festive greetings and best wishes to the staff of the State-owned electricity utility.

As Spring Festival is just around the corner, Li said, electricity utilities should step up maintenance of facilities and be prepared to deal with a possible disaster caused by extreme weather, to ensure safe and reliable power supplies during the festival. Power supplies for key sectors, including the medical field, must be guaranteed, he added.

Li was given details on coal supplies and prices, and spoke positively about the abundant coal reserves in power plants.

Energy supplies matter to the overall situation of social and economic development, Li said.

The past year was an extraordinary one for China's economic development, given the major problems of international energy supplies, drastic price fluctuations and the nation's high demand for power due to high temperatures, he said.

Thanks to support from multiple policies and all-out efforts, the nation managed to ensure it had sufficient energy supplies to support reasonable economic growth, meet people's demand for energy and significantly stabilize energy prices.

Li urged coordinated efforts to further strengthen the supplies of energy and stabilize the price of energy and other important commodities, while continuing to promote appropriate economic growth.

Only when power supplies are sufficient can the economy gain full momentum and people's livelihoods be guaranteed, Li said.

He said energy supplies should be strengthened to ensure that people in North China, which is cold in winter, can keep warm.

Noting that China is still in the process of industrialization and urbanization, Li said energy is the foundation for economic growth. He underlined the need to deepen market-oriented reform in the energy sector, bolster technological innovation and constantly improve the capacity of energy supplies.

Li called for boosting international energy cooperation and implementing policy packages to stabilize the economy as well as follow-up policies to bolster market expectations and confidence and to stabilize growth, employment and prices.