China NDRC could lower electricity prices sooner than expected

电价最早10月下调 发改委已做初步方案 - 中国能源报 | NDRC has taken initial steps that could lead to lowering electricity prices before year's end. Since coal prices have not recovered (and continue to decline) coal producers and many local govts think this is a good opportunity to reform electricity price system. Local gov'ts want lower electric prices to stimulate heavy industry and promote econ development -- and in coal mining regions officials are worried about supporting struggling coal companies. Acc. to one expert, coal's elasticity of demand is less than 50%; GDP growth of 7% leads to coal increase of 2-3% - so a lower price would help demand grow a little faster in what coal producer's see as China's new low-growth phase. Arguing for delay in lowering prices, the electricity industry bloc says coal is 70 percent of cost of electricity and over recent years the price of coal has been higher than electricity -- so electric companies need time to recoup losses inflicted by past policy. The have high debt ratios (gt 80 percent and over the SAC warning line) and increasing environmental costs to carry. 煤价持续的大幅度降价，令政府不得不提前做出在年内调整电价的方案。　8月16日，记者从接近国家发改委的消息人士处获悉，国家发改委已经做出了年内调整电价的初步方案，在煤价没有回暖的情况下，最早今年10月将下调电价。　　与此同时，煤炭市场持续低迷，正是电力体制改革的好时机。电价最早10月下调　　持续大幅走跌的煤价让地方政府撑不住了，齐齐向国家发改委施压请求下调电价。　　8月中上旬，环渤海地区煤价继续保持偏大降幅，8月14日，海运煤炭网指数中心发布的环渤海动力煤价格指数显示：本期5500大卡动力煤综合平均价格报收为559元/吨，环比上周下跌6元/吨，跌幅为1.06%，同比下跌11%。　　煤炭行业专家李学刚认为，7月份我国煤炭进口量的急剧增加，再度冲击了沿海地区的内贸煤炭需求。　　持续下滑的煤价以及低迷的经济增速，让多地政府呼吁尽快启动煤电联动，下调电价，以便刺激工业用电，推动经济发展。　　消息人士向记者透露，由于煤价降幅太大，以及地方政府的施压，国家发改委为了保持煤电联动政策执行的严肃性，已经做出了年内调整电价的初步方案，在煤价没有回暖的情况下，最早今年10月将下调电价。　　中电(00002.HK)副主席阮苏少湄在中期业绩记者会上也表示，电价受多项因素影响，因此需要视乎下半年情况，决定年底是否调整电价。