Ex-electricity tycoon under investigation

A former tycoon in China's electricity industry is being investigated for suspected serious violations of discipline and law, the top anti-corruption watchdog said on Thursday.

The investigation of Yun Gongmin, ex-general manager of China Huadian Corporation, one of the country's State-owned power companies, is being carried out by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.

Yun, 69, a native of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, began his career at a transportation company in his hometown. He took the role of the regional government's deputy chairman in 1997 and was transferred to Shanxi province as vice-governor in 2001.

Seven years later, he became the manager of the State-owned corporation.

China Huadian Corporation is one of the five State-owned sole proprietorship power generation companies. Its major business covers power generation, heat production and supply, and development of primary energy related with electricity such as coal.

It has grown from an electric power generator to a comprehensive energy group with a rising position in the industry. It was ranked 397th on the Fortune Global 500 in 2018.

Yun was not the only such high-level official in the electricity industry probed and punished by the top anti-corruption body this week.

The anti-graft authority said on Tuesday that Li Qingkui, former chairman of China Southern Power, was placed on probation within the Party for two years for seriously violating discipline and law.

"For a top official of the Party and the State-owned company, Li had little political and disciplinary awareness," the authority said in a statement.

It said he breached discipline by going to private clubs, using public cars for personal transportation and improperly transferring or promoting other officials.

He also received properties from others by either abusing his power or gaining them through family members, it added.

"Given that he confessed to his misconduct with a good attitude, told us about some violations that we hadn't known about and turned over his illicit gains, we decided to be lenient and reduce his punishment," the authority said.

Li, 63, from Shandong province, had worked in the electricity industry for a long time and became chairman of China Southern Power in 2006.