The Shanghai government pledged to double the city's electricity generating capacity by 2010 to alleviate power shortages during peak demand periods at a meeting yesterday with representatives of foreign-invested companies in the city.

Power shortages during this summer's lengthy heat wave affected more than 2,000 com-panies and many residents across the city.

"Generally speaking, Shang-hai's electricity network can ensure smooth operation of industrial companies, so foreign investors can take it easy if they want to instill fresh investment," Pan Longqing, director of the Shanghai Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commis-sion, said during the meeting.

Officials with the Shanghai Development and Reform Com-mission said yesterday the city will make it a top priority to up-grade its electricity generating capacity, placing it ahead of economic development, so that production won't be disrupted by power restrictions in the future.

The city still hasn't calculated the losses caused by brown-outs and power restrictions this summer.

Shanghai's electricity network recorded peak demand of more than 13 million kilowatts earlier this summer, 1 million kw higher than its designed gener-ating capacity, said Zou Jian of the commission. Out-of-town generators, mostly in East China, loaded into the city's power grid a total of 4 million kilowatts this summer.

Companies were asked to halt production four times this sum-mer for an accumulative 29 hours, said He Changqun of the Shanghai Economic Com-mission.

The development and reform commission said Shanghai will raise its designed electricity generating capacity by an annual 8.3 percent to 9.3 percent to reach 15.5 million to 16.3 million kilowatts by 2005.

Capacity will reach 25.8 million kilowatts by 2010, double the current level.

To reach the target, Shanghai will gear up the construction of the second phase of the Waigaoqiao Power Plant which contains two 900,000-kilowatt generators.

"The first generator can be connected into the power grid and ease next summer's power peak," said Zou. "The second can be put into use by the end of next year."

In addition, two 300,000-kilowatt generators will go online at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Caojing in 2005 and 2010, respectively.

Three 400,000-kilowatt gener-ators in the city's Shidongkou area can be put into operation by 2007.

City officials added that after 2007, Shanghai will need new power sources to ensure a safe and sufficient power supply.

"This includes opening large power plants fueled by imported liquefied natural gas and those using gas piped from the western hinterlands," Zou said.

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