China's Power Output, Demand to Extend Falls, Regulator Says

By Wang Ying

Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Power demand and output in China, the world's second-biggest consumer of energy, will continue to fall this year because of slower economic growth, said the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Electricity producers will face ``increased difficulties'' because of ``unsolved problems'' in coal and power pricing, the commission said in a statement posted on its Web site today. China relies on coal for almost 80 percent of its power generation.

To contact the reporter on this story: Wang Ying in Beijing at ywang30@bloomberg.net.