Online document appears to herald electricity system overhaul

A purported State Council document posted to clean energy industry site NE21.com has laid out rules for overhauling China’s electricity market that include making the country’s retail sales channels and power-distribution system accessible to private companies, Bloomberg reported. The reforms described in the document include opening up competition among power generation and sales businesses to allow the market to determine energy prices and diversify suppliers. Electricity prices are currently fixed in China, and power plants run at the discretion and direction of the government. Calls and a fax sent to the State Council’s information office weren’t returned.