China to Complete Draft of Five-year Energy Plan

China will complete a draft of its energy industry plans for 2011-2015 in the first half of this year, state media reported on April 26, citing a senior official with the National Energy Administration (NEA).

Zhou Xi'an, head of the Comprehensive Department of the NEA, said at a press conference on April 23 that initial plans have been released to local authorities for discussion, and a full draft should be completed within the first half of this year, Shanghai Securities News reported.

Zhou said that energy plans for the next five years will be drafted in line with the country's 2020 goal of reducing per GDP unit carbon emissions by 40-45 percent compared with 2005 levels.

According to Zhou, the basic principles of the plan involve speeding up nuclear power plant construction, further expanding wind, solar and biomass power projects and developing clean coal-based industries. At the same time, the country also plans to construct traditional energy production bases on a large scale.