Date: 05-May-09

Country: CHINA

BEIJING - China plans to close 15 gigawatts (GW) of small coal-fired power generators this year, as part of measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution, the National Development and Reform Commission said on Monday.

If the goal is achieved, the country will close a total of nearly 50 GW by the end of this year that had been planned for the five years through 2010.

China is encouraging power companies to replace small thermal power generators with large ones in a nationwide campaign to improve power sector efficiency and curb pollutant emissions.

It has closed down 34 or 21 GW of small thermal power generators in the past three years.

Around 80 percent of China's electricity is produced by thermal power plants, mostly coal-fired plants. China has 793 GW of installed power generating capacity.

The government will also provide subsidies to promote sales of 100 million energy-saving light bulbs this year and subsidise sales of energy-efficient home appliances including air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines in 2009 and 2010, the commission said.

It has also unveiled specific subsidy policies in a pilot programme to promote the application of vehicles powered by alternative fuels in 13 cities.

(Reporting by Jim Bai and Chen Aizhu; Editing by Chris Lewis)

© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved