National Energy Administration: Will raise the level of governance of the unified electricity market and resolutely remove local protectionism and market barriers.

On June 26, the State Council Information Office held a thematic press conference on "Starting the '15th Five-Year Plan'" to introduce the planning for accelerating the construction of a new energy system during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. Ren Yuzhi, spokesperson for the National Energy Administration and Director of the Development Planning Department, stated that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the goal is to achieve the basic completion of a unified national electricity market. The focus will be on market channels, trading cycles, and governance levels, to further improve the electricity market. Firstly, efforts will be made to facilitate the market channels for accommodating new energy, such as promoting the full operation of the spot market in intra-provincial electricity trading markets, conducting regular trading during the cross-provincial electricity network operation period, realizing real-time trading between the State Grid and the Southern Grid, and ensuring the transmission of abundant wind and solar energy to households across the country. Secondly, optimizing the trading cycles that are compatible with the new grid, and accurately matching the generation characteristics of new energy. In terms of "longer" periods, encouraging both generators and consumers to sign multi-year power trading contracts, achieving continuous year-round trading in the medium to long-term market. In terms of "shorter" periods, shortening cycles, conducting flexible trading, utilizing spot market auxiliary services, and accurately reflecting the different values of electricity in time and space to accommodate new energy. Thirdly, enhancing the governance level of the unified electricity market. Strengthening collaborative supervision by multiple departments, ensuring fair regulations, and decisively eliminating local protectionism, market barriers, administrative interference, price collusion, and abuse of market dominance.