Mainland power-generating capacity will reach a record high this year, according to China Electricity Council secretary-general Wang Yonggan, state media reported. Wang said new generators would be built to produce an additional 75 million kilowatts in 2006. Shortages, he said, would persist in the first half, after which most of the new generation capacity would come on line. The number of provinces experiencing power shortages dropped from 26 at the beginning of last year to seven by year's end, he said. "China's power supply has been increasing rapidly. The stock of power generators has exceeded 500 million kW in 2005. The volume of power generation has increased by 66.02 million kW," he said.