Energy crunch could push companies into the interior

Tsinghua University analyst Zhang Jianyu said electricity shortages could force foreign investors to set up plants in interior provinces like Sichuan and Hubei where power is plentiful. Xinhua reported the shortages could get progressively worse until 2020 because of quickening urbanization and increasing automotive, steel and other power-intensive manufacturing. The National Development and Reform Commission said China's power output in 2003 increased 11% over 2002 but supply still trailed demand.