National Energy Administration Deploys Power Supervision for Summer Peak Power Supply, Standardizes Retail Transaction Order Under Unified National Power Market

Release Date: July 24, 2026 | Source: China Business Network

On July 24, the National Energy Administration held the second national energy supervision work conference of 2026, rolling out arrangements focusing on two core tasks: safeguarding power supply amid extreme high temperatures this summer and rectifying irregularities in the power market.

Forecasts show the national peak electricity load will range from 1.575 billion kW to 1.6 billion kW in 2026, and may exceed 1.6 billion kW under extreme heat conditions. East, South and North China are key regions facing peak load pressure. Supervision requirements mandate all regions to fulfill responsibilities for peak power generation at power plants and grid operation and maintenance, prioritizing power supply for residents, public services and agricultural use. Meanwhile, efforts will be accelerated to improve the unified national power market, with strict crackdowns on irregular practices including arbitrary surcharges in retail electricity prices, fraudulent green power transactions and illegal arbitrage by electricity sales companies. A matching capacity tariff mechanism will be implemented simultaneously, providing unified compensation for coal-fired, gas-fired power plants and independent energy storage based on their peak supply capacity, to boost enthusiasm for constructing flexible power sources and consolidate the safe and stable operation of large power grids.