The Chinese central government plans to invest heavily in upgrades to rural power networks in 2019.
Su Chengyuan (綦成元), vice-head of the National Energy Administration (NEA), said that investment in rural power network upgrades is being expanded this year, with 36.1 billion yuan in investment planned by the central government, of which 14 billion is included in the central government budget.
NEA’s three year plan for 2018 to 2020 encompasses 8769 administrative villages across 210 counties, as well as 181 companies in construction corps in Xinjiang province, bringing potential benefits to 24.42 million people.
Su said that the central government’s share of funding for the NEA’s three-year plan for deeply impoverished regions has lifted this year, rising to 64.9% from 50.9% in 2018.
The Chinese central government accounts for 80% of funding for Tibetan rural power upgrades, and 59% of funding for 54 impoverished counties in Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai.
According to Su Chengyuan total investment in rural power upgrades during the period from 2016 to 2019 is expected to reach 830 billion yuan, including 43.5 billion yuan in investment budgeted by the central government, driving a further 787 billion yuan in enterprise funds, bank funds and local government funding.
Rural village power usage increased by 30% in 2018 compared to 2015, for an average annual growth rate of 9% during the period from 2016 to 2018.
