Raising electricity prices cannot be done by consumers

As soon as winter is a coal shortage and electricity shortage, and then there is power cut, which has almost become the fourth quarter of the “Song of the Four Seasons”. This year's call for higher electricity prices is even more urgent. Regardless of whether the power industry suffers real losses or losses, whether it is deficits or losses, no matter if you say that it is not forcing power, the electricity shortage will be placed before you. Therefore, experts also told us that under the background of eased inflationary pressures, the necessity and possibility of the recent increase in the price of electricity in the country are further increasing. "The on-grid tariff must be raised," said Lin Boqiang, director of the China Energy Research Center at Xiamen University. The increase in electricity prices is only an expedient measure, and the key is to restart the coal-electricity linkage mechanism. The so-called "coal and coal linkage" refers to the "Opinions on Establishing a Coalition Electricity Price Linkage Mechanism" issued by the Development and Reform Commission in 2005. The corresponding relationship between coal and electricity prices is that coal rises by 20 yuan per ton, and electricity generally rises by one cent per degree. .

How will the price of electricity be adjusted? Analysis of the industry, the price adjustment may still be the first to increase the on-grid price, after the increase in sales price. Considering that the losses of electric power companies are nationwide, the scope of price adjustment may no longer be limited to local ones. According to estimates, the increase in on-grid tariff of 1 point/kWh can cover the cost pressure of rising raw coal price of about RMB 25/tonne. Measured at an average level, the on-grid tariff is increased by 2 points/kWh, and the profitability of power companies can be restored to the level of the end of 2010.

It is indeed necessary to adjust the on-grid price, but this part of the price increase should not be entirely borne by consumers, but should be diverted by all parties. The sales price can be adjusted or less adjusted. Grid companies should also bear some of the price increase factors, so that the entire power industry The cost of the upstream coal-fired link, the middle-stream power generation link, and the downstream network operation link are reasonably balanced. This idea was put forward based on the actual situation of China's power industry. When the system was reformed in 2002, the former State Power Corporation was split into two major power grids and five major power generation groups. The power grid companies and power generation groups were separately accounted for. Since 2008, the thermal power of the five largest power generation groups in the country has accumulated losses of more than 8.5 billion yuan for three consecutive years, and the combined losses have reached more than 60 billion yuan. The State Grid and China Southern Power Grid realized profits of 72.12 billion yuan and 46.86 billion yuan respectively in 2010, ranking fourth and fifth among 102 central enterprises. China's power generation enterprises have increased their on-grid tariffs twice, but the sales price of power grid companies has also increased simultaneously. The price increase factor for 30% of coal prices has been digested by power generation companies, and 70% of the price increase factor has been digested by users, with little impact on power grid companies. . There is no reason for the phenomena of “losing pigs at a loss and selling meat to make money” in the electric power industry. It is not a good idea to adjust the interest relationship in the industry, and to increase the on-grid tariff without increasing the sales price. Moreover, the grid companies can also increase the marginal benefits through the increase in the amount of power supply and compensate for the loss of price increases.

Experts predict that the profit space brought by the increase in electricity prices will soon be swallowed up by the rising coal prices. Therefore, to solve the system problems of coal-fired bulls, it is necessary to further deepen the reform of the power system and straighten out the crux of the relationship between upstream and downstream. The implementation of the increase in the on-grid tariff and the increase in sales price or the price increase is an experiment of such a perfect system.