China to close "small" power generating units to reduce emissions

China will close many "small" power generating units which now produce more than 10 % of the country's electricity, according to Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan at a national conference on energy conservation and emission reduction.
Small power generating units around the country consume 400 mm tons of coal while emitting 5.4m tons of sulphur dioxide and producing 115 mm kW a year, said Zeng.

Over the next four years, more that half the power that comes from small generating units, about 60 mm kW, will be turned off. China produces about 530m kW of electricity annually from all sources. A small power generating unit is defined as one that produces less than 50 000 kW.
Delegates from 30 provinces, major power groups and grid companies attended the meeting. They signed contracts with the National Development and Reform Commission confirming their plans to close small power generators.

There was no indication as to the number of small power generators that will be closed.
"The restructuringof the power industry should be accelerated, with a number of large and highly-efficient generating units being constructed," said Zeng. The Vice Premier underscored the need to develop clean and renewable energy. The delegates to the meeting passed a resolution saying no new small thermal power projects will be launched.

Participants at the meeting agreed efforts should be redoubled over the next four years to develop clean energy projects such as hydroelectric power, nuclear power and small coal fired or oil fired power generating units should be replaced with large, coal fired units.
The plan will save the equivalent of 50 mm tons of coal and reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by 1.6 mm tons.