No new small-scale hydropower plants will be built in the Chinese province of Sichuan until at least 2020, with medium sized plants set to be restricted, under new plans mooted by the provincial government, Reuters has reported this week.
No new small-scale hydropower plants will be built in the Chinese province of Sichuan until at least 2020, with medium sized plants set to be restricted, under new plans mooted by the provincial government, Reuters has reported this week.
The restrictions, planned for the 2016-2020 period, have been brought in to allow for improved electric grid planning in the region. The province is considered a key part of the country’s west-east power transmission project, but insufficient grid capacity means that large volumes of electricity are wasted.
Reuters reported that the hydro policy proposals were published on the government website. Other proposals include curbing the powers of local authorities to approve new projects.