The basic idea of ​​promoting electricity price reform

How can the electricity price be changed? Only by doing so, can we achieve “available actions and breakthroughs, but can also reduce resistance, control risks, and take substantial steps.” This is a problem that requires us to seriously study and think, and it is also a problem before us. It must be determined and then moved. In this issue, it is necessary to have courage and courage. It also requires wisdom and methods. There must be new ideas and a good choice.

The relationship between electricity price reform and electricity development (1) Electricity price reform (electricity price policy) has an important and irreplaceable role in promoting the development of electricity. This is reflected in: first, guiding electricity investment and consumption; second, promoting production and ensuring supply; third, adjusting supply and demand; fourth, optimizing resource allocation; 5 adjusting interest relations; 6 promoting electricity market reform; 7: macroeconomic regulation Important means.

(b) The sustainable development of electricity puts forward new and higher requirements on electricity price reform (electricity price policy). Embody in: First, the growth of the total; Second, the structural adjustment and optimization; Third, the constraints of resources and environment; Fourth, the pressure to deal with climate change; Fifth, energy-saving emission reduction and environmental protection requirements; Sixth, economy and efficiency Claim.

The main problems in the electricity price mechanism and electricity price management In the past ten years since the electricity system reform, although the electricity price reform has taken certain steps and achieved certain results, it is undeniable that there are still many outstanding problems.

(1) The main problems in the electricity pricing mechanism are the slow pace of electricity price reforms, and the fact that government pricing still occupies a dominant position and fails to establish a reasonable electricity price formation mechanism. The role of market allocation resources has not been fully realized. The on-grid tariffs and sales tariffs that are part of the competition are still strictly regulated, and the monopoly transmission and distribution tariffs are just not in charge and the supervision is weak. This is contrary to the established reform goals and forms the “maintaining both ends, regardless of the middle”. The situation. appears in:

Internet link: on-grid price or government pricing model (which is very rare in the world); failed to implement the market to determine the price formation mechanism, the price system of coal, electricity, the contradictions are prominent, the on-grid price can not be timely and fully linked with coal prices, power generation companies Business is difficult and difficult to sustain. There is no clear and reasonable mechanism for the price of water and electricity, and the price of combined heat and power is not reasonable. The enterprises are also faced with many difficulties. The pumping and storage energy compensation mechanism is also unreasonable. The electricity market for power bidding and other power markets has stagnated.

Transmission and Distribution: The slow progress in the separation of main and auxiliary grids, main and multiple separation, the transmission and distribution costs and costs are not clear, the transmission and distribution cost constraint mechanism has not been formed, the independent transmission and distribution tariff mechanism has not been established, and grid companies have maintained buying and selling. The exclusive distribution of electric power is in an absolute monopoly position, and the market position of power generation companies and electric power users is seriously unequal. Due to the lack of independent and reasonable transmission and distribution tariffs, direct purchases of electricity by large consumers are faced with many difficulties and obstacles. Cross-regional electricity trading also reflects many problems.

Sales segment: Sales price is ossified and lacks flexibility. It fails to implement timely and effective market linkage with on-grid tariffs. It cannot fully reflect market supply and demand, resource scarcity and environmental damage costs, and it is difficult to effectively regulate the power supply and demand relationship. The classification of sales price is too small, it does not reflect the user's power consumption characteristics and power supply cost, the residents' electricity price is low, the industrial electricity price is high, the cross-subsidization of various users is serious, the electricity price system is not scientific enough, and the principle of fair burden cannot be reflected, which is not conducive to Guide users to use electricity rationally and promote resource conservation.

(2) From the perspective of the electricity price policy, the formulation and improvement of the electricity price policy are relatively lagging behind. Some electricity price policies are not reasonable and are not perfect enough, causing many problems and contradictions. For example, the price of coal and electricity cannot be linked in time, the electricity price is not reasonable, the coverage of denitrification electricity price is too small and the standard is too low; the price regulation of electricity trading across regions (inter-provincial and trans-regional) is not clear and unreasonable, and there is an on-grid tariff in the transaction. Low, high tariffs and high cost of power grids; peaks, valleys, and dry and dry electricity price policies are not perfect and reasonable; peak load reduction is not obvious; renewable energy generation prices, access project prices, and additional subsidies for electricity prices There are still many problems with such policies, pending further study and so on.

(3) From the perspective of electricity tariff management, the work of electricity tariff legislation is slow, and legal construction is lagging behind. The responsibilities of the electricity prices of government departments and regulatory agencies are not clear enough and the relationship is not smooth. For the monopoly power grid companies, the supervision capacity needs to be improved, the supervision methods need to be improved, and the supervision methods need to be strengthened. There is no good solution to the violation of the national electricity price policy by the local government. The management of electricity prices has strengthened the role of macro-control, weakened the market regulation function of electricity prices, and the management authority of electricity prices is too concentrated, which makes it difficult to timely reflect the actual situation in various places, and management efficiency needs to be improved.

The necessity of electricity price reform and the external environment it faces (I) Necessity of reform Due to the delay in electricity price reform and the lack of a reasonable price formation mechanism, there are also many outstanding problems in electricity price policy and electricity price management, resulting in distortion of the price level in many cases. The distortion of the price signal has brought about many adverse effects on the development of the power industry and even the development of the national economy. In order to benefit the healthy and sustainable development of the power industry, it is conducive to the transformation of the economic development mode, which is conducive to the realization of energy-saving and emission-reduction goals, is conducive to the advancement of the reform of the power market, is conducive to increasing public confidence in the power reform, and must accelerate the reform of electricity prices.

(II) External environment facing the reform 1. The favorable conditions First, the macroeconomic environment is relatively loose. Since the second half of last year, the CPI index has continued to decline, the PPI index has remained low, power supply and demand have eased, coal prices have fallen sharply, and coal prices have been combined to provide a relatively loose external environment for electricity price reform, reform risks, reform resistance, and reforms. The cost will be smaller.

Second, the community is very concerned about reform. Both officials, scholars, ordinary people, media and power companies are very concerned about the reform of electricity prices and have high expectations for this. At the same time ten years of power reform has also carried out beneficial explorations in some aspects, accumulated certain experience, formed some consensus, provided a good atmosphere for the reform, created conditions for the government to take advantage of the situation and accelerate the reform.

Third, the change of leadership of the central party and government has provided a new opportunity for reform. The smooth convening of the *** and the election of the government in March will inevitably inject new vitality into the reforms, create a favorable atmosphere, and provide opportunities and opportunities for accelerating reforms.

2. Resistance and Difficulties First, the understanding of reforms is still inconsistent. Including or not to change, how to change and the direction, focus, path, steps of the reform, there are still different views, and even a lot of controversy.

Second, reforms will encounter resistance. Mainly from some departments and companies that do not want to lose their power and vested interests. To break the inherent pattern of interests, adjust the expected benefits and even the existing interests, it will be very difficult, and we must have enough understanding of this; and the current establishment of the responsibilities of some departments has limited the design and promotion of reform.

Third, there is a certain degree of difficulty in the reform. There are certain complexities and risks in the reform itself, especially when major adjustments are made to the interests, there must be supporting measures and solutions, which will increase the difficulty of reforms and make it hard for the top management to make up their minds.

The Main Contents and Steps of the Electricity Price Reform (1) Objectives and Ideas of the Reform The first goal is to “open up and control the middle” and establish a pricing mechanism that combines market competition and government supervision. “Opening up both ends” is the price for developing electricity, electricity sales and other competitive links. “Controlling the middle” is to control the prices of natural power transmission and distribution that belong to natural monopolies. Second, to formulate and improve the benefits for the power industry. Coordinate development, promote the energy price policy of energy conservation and environmental protection; third, build a standardized, transparent, and efficient electricity price supervision system.

The first line of thinking for reform is to focus on finding a reform breakthrough that will trigger the whole body. There are many problems facing the electricity price reform. The task is heavy and the resistance is not small. It can be said to be a multitude of things. If it is difficult to change the priorities, the eyebrows and beard must catch one another and go hand in hand, the effect is often not ideal, and the results will be less effective. As a result of the reforms and key points of the whole reform, the key to advancement will be able to do more with less and achieve remarkable results. The second is to focus on incremental reforms, and to promote inventory reforms with incremental reforms to reduce resistance and risk. Actively advancing incremental reforms, incremental reforms to drive inventory reforms, and steadily advancing inventory optimization are an important method for many years of reforms and are also successful experiences. The advantage of doing so is to be able to agglomerate consensus on reforms to the greatest extent and reduce resistance and risk. . More than 30 years ago, reforms at the beginning of the implementation of the “double-track system” of prices meant that vested interests were given reasonable care, and incremental benefits were adjusted by adopting reforms, and achieved very good results. The third is to try first, steadily advance, and not rush to achieve success. Trying ahead first is a successful experience in reform and opening up over the past 30 years. As an important basic industry of the national economy, the power industry has a relatively large impact on any one reform. At the same time, China has a vast territory and unbalanced economic development. There are many issues that are inaccurate, impractical, and the reform risks are uncontrollable. Choose pilots, try them first, explore ways, accumulate experience, and bring them together. After seeing it again, it's feasible to push it open again. It's not in a hurry to achieve success. The fourth step is to take a small step, not stopping, and not to ask for more. The reform of electricity prices involves adjustment of interests in all aspects. It is very difficult. In the reform, we must not be greedy and seek more, and we must do our best. As long as one or two substantive reforms are promoted every year and breakthroughs are made, they will be able to accumulate a small amount of revenue. There will be great leapfrogging changes in five years, and a reasonable electricity price formation mechanism will be formed in the next decade.

(II) The main contents and steps of the reform In the mechanism of electricity price formation, based on the above-mentioned reform ideas, the principles and steps of taking all factors into consideration, treating both the symptoms and the problem, being near and far, being small to large, being easy to apply, and meeting the difficulties Select six key issues as breakthroughs and accelerate the reform of electricity prices:

1. The approval pricing based on coal price linkage was changed to mechanism pricing as a breakthrough point to promote the market-oriented reform of on-grid tariff.

After coal prices are combined and the price of electric coal is fully marketized, conditions are created for the on-grid price to be marketized. The on-grid tariffs must be accelerated, supporting follow-up actions, and actions must be taken. Otherwise, the effect of market-oriented reform on coal prices will be greatly reduced. The on-grid tariff marketization can be considered in three steps. The coal price linkage policy can be retained in the near future, but further adjustments and improvements will be made, including reducing the proportion of power companies digesting rising coal prices and timely full-scale linkage. In the coming years, this policy will be upgraded and upgraded. In other words, by drawing lessons from the oil price formation mechanism, the state clearly clarifies the linkage mechanism for coal and electricity prices. The power generation companies will decide on-grid tariffs according to national regulations and market supply and demand and report them to the government agencies for record, and will no longer be approved by government agencies, so that they can implement on-grid tariffs. From approval pricing to mechanism pricing, electricity price reform can take substantial steps. In the long run, the on-grid tariffs should be entirely determined by the market supply and demand, and enterprises should set their own prices.

2. To increase the direct purchase of electricity by large users as a breakthrough, to promote the reform of electricity prices and supply and consumption methods.

The direct purchase of power by large users is an important reform aimed at promoting electricity price reform and increasing the user's right to choose. It is also a reform that is relatively less shaken and has less resistance. It should be an important starting point and breakthrough point for reform. However, due to various reasons, the current situation of direct purchase of electricity by large users is "small thunder and rain," with little substantive progress, and the effect is still relatively small. If we want to do a good job of this work and make some breakthroughs, we must focus on solving the following five contradictions:

One is the contradiction between direct purchase of electricity by large users and energy conservation and emission reduction. When selecting large users and determining access standards, we must adhere to the principle of energy saving and emission reduction, adhere to high standards and strict requirements, must be high energy-consuming enterprises and high-tech industrial parks that meet the national industrial policy and energy consumption reaches the average advanced level. However, it cannot evolve into a policy measure that simply helps the development of local energy-intensive enterprises.

The second is the contradiction between market and approval. The direct purchase of electricity by large users is a reform that conforms to market demand. It is an innovation of market-oriented reforms, and it cannot evolve into a kind of approval authority, a kind of franchise and gift. It is necessary to revise and improve the current policy concerning large-scale users, change the method of large-scale direct purchase of electricity by item, and turn the country into promulgating rules concerning access, safe operation, and electricity price standards. Enterprises that meet the conditions can directly enter without approval. Relevant state departments are responsible for the implementation of regulatory rules and carry out necessary coordination and guidance.

The third is the contradiction between access and restrictions. The issue of access and restrictions must be viewed dialectically and market access mechanisms should be continuously improved. In the early days of reform, the standards for alignment can be set higher, and the companies and electricity that are entered will be less, which will facilitate the control of risks. However, at a relatively mature stage, it is entirely possible to relax the access standards, allow more enterprises to enter, increase the power of direct transactions, and promote the deepening of reforms.

The fourth is to reasonably determine the transmission and distribution prices and properly resolve the contradictions in cross-subsidization. Any reform will involve adjustment of interests. The key is to study and analyze the degree of interest adjustment and reasonable solutions. The implementation of direct purchase of electricity by large users requires in-depth analysis and accounting of transmission and distribution costs, so that the cross-subsidies existing in electricity prices will be explicitly and quantified, and the sales price will increase or decrease structurally or be clearly defined in the sales price increase. Part of the cost to properly address the problem of cross-subsidization of electricity prices.

Fifth, the contradiction between market-oriented reform and local government administrative intervention. Because there are differences in understanding and starting points in the implementation of direct purchase of electricity by large consumers, how to deal with market reforms and the administrative intervention of local governments will also be a major difficulty in the direct purchase of electricity by large users. The direct purchase of electricity by large users should be unified and standardized in the national documents. Markets should be used and standardized methods and means should be used to start the market, so as to boost the load and promote economic growth.

3. With stock unchanged and incremental release as breakthroughs, the “dual-track” reform of feed-in tariffs will be promoted.

The basic approach is that, from a certain point of time, the on-grid electricity price of the existing generator set will remain unchanged, and the on-grid electricity and price of the newly commissioned generator set will be fully liberalized, which will be negotiated between the power generation enterprise and large users. The advantage of this is that it not only substantially promotes the electricity price reform, but also has a breakthrough, but the impact is relatively small and the risk is basically controllable. During the transitional period, detailed research and demonstration work will be done and the implementation plan will be solid. However, information on the implementation of this reform can be announced in advance so that power companies can make early preparations.

4, to verify the temporary transmission and distribution prices as a breakthrough, and promote the transmission and distribution price reform.

From a long-term point of view, the first is clear assets and costs, making the transmission and distribution costs real and controllable; the second is to strengthen the supervision of the rationality and compliance of grid transmission and distribution costs and form an effective cost constraint mechanism; third is based on this Determine the reasonable transmission and distribution price by cost plus method. In the near future, a simple, easy-to-apply approach that recognizes both the status quo and incentives for power grid companies can be used, referring to the practice of power companies that draw on national regulations to digest some of the factors that have contributed to the rise in coal prices. That is to say, it requires 5% of the cost of its digestion.) As a temporary transmission and distribution tariff for power grid companies, it is announced and implemented first, and it is gradually revised and improved. There are three advantages to this: First, it solves the information asymmetry, and it is difficult to clarify the cost of the power grid in the short term, and it is difficult to verify the issue of official transmission and distribution tariffs. Second, it solves the long-term power grid companies to obtain income through the difference between purchase and sales prices, and does not implement the transmission and distribution tariff standards. The third problem is to force power grid companies to strengthen cost accounting and control, in order to strengthen the power grid transmission and distribution cost supervision, and formally approve the independent transmission and distribution prices to lay the foundation for the transition.

5. In order to change the exclusive monopoly distribution power of the power grid as a breakthrough, the reform of the power distribution service model will be promoted.

It is necessary to change the practice of purchasing and selling exclusive distribution electricity by grid companies as soon as possible, allowing only intermediate services, transmission of electricity, charging of nationally-adopted network charges, not allowing distribution of electricity, and promoting fair and unbiased access to the grid. Business model transformation. At the same time, the country must speed up the verification of various transmission tariffs. First, based on the temporary transmission and distribution prices, as soon as possible to transition to the sub-provincial voltage level approved transmission and distribution prices; Second, cross-provincial cross-regional transmission lines separately approved transmission prices, and transition to the regional pricing; Third, consider the establishment of national as soon as possible The trans-regional transmission companies will apply the stamp method pricing to the transmission lines they invest and operate. In addition, the state must study and adjust the assessment and evaluation methods for the performance of power grid companies as soon as possible, return to the attributes of its quasi-public welfare enterprises, and not focus on profitability.

6, to address the cross-subsidy of electricity prices as a breakthrough, and promote the reform of sales price.

The first is to simplify the structural classification of sales price. In 2013, the current 8 types of sales tariffs were gradually merged into household life electricity, agricultural production electricity, and industrial and commercial and other electricity use. In the same category, different voltage levels and electricity load characteristics reflect the differences in the cost of electricity supply. The second is to gradually reduce cross-subsidies in the sales price. Gradually transparently and transparently cross-subsidize the various types of users' electricity prices, and adjust the sales price of electricity to a certain extent, from hidden subsidies to clear subsidies, and study and establish a general service policy for the electric power society as soon as possible. The third is to promote the full opening of the power sales market, and the sales price is basically formed by the market under the supervision of the government. Fully open the grid, introduce a retailer system, allow more competitive users to choose the supply side, and implement different pricing mechanisms and management methods for competitive and franchise users.

In the electricity price policy, the following adjustment and improvement measures are implemented:

1. During the transitional period, the coal-fired power plant will continue to implement the benchmarking on-grid price policy and improve it. The benchmarking tariffs in various regions shall be checked and adjusted according to the unit cost, coal price and design hours. It is also possible to consider differential pricing policy for regional differences.

2. To study and improve the policies and measures for the formation of hydropower tariffs. The overall direction is to accelerate the reform of power marketization and eventually form a market pricing mechanism. During the transitional period, new hydropower stations that transmit power across provinces and regions may be priced according to the market's pushback mechanism; for newly-constructed hydropower stations that are consumed locally, they may consider classifying benchmark power tariffs; for old hydropower stations, the prices should be gradually increased, and the price increase should be mainly It is used to solve the problems of immigration support and ecological problems in the reservoir area; at the same time, it should gradually unify the hydropower on-grid tariffs developed in cascades in the same river basin.

3. Continue to implement and improve renewable energy prices and additional policies.

According to the development of renewable energy, the electricity pricing policy should be further revised and perfected to maximize the adjustment and guidance of electricity pricing policies, promote the coordinated and orderly development of renewable energy resources, and at the same time minimize the pressure of increasing sales prices and reduce the user’s Electricity price burden. The main measures include: First, to revise and improve the regulations governing the on-grid tariffs; Second, to increase the cost of renewable energy power generation connection, to improve pricing methods, and to adopt different policies for different types of projects; and third, to appropriately increase renewable energy at a proper time. Additional electricity price collection standards will make up for the shortage of subsidy funds. Fourth, it will study the establishment of an auxiliary service compensation mechanism for the development of renewable energy. Fifth, it will implement dynamic management of on-grid electricity prices for renewable energy, and accelerate the establishment of a mechanism to reduce the on-grid electricity prices year by year.

4. Continue to implement and improve energy conservation and environmental protection electricity pricing policies.

The main measures include the following: First, improve and introduce off-price and denitrification tariff policies and regulatory measures to ensure that national policies and measures are put in place and promote the emission reduction of pollutants in the power industry; and secondly, improve the industrial users' implementation of differential pricing policies and over-capacity according to industrial policies. The punitive tariff policy will be adopted to curb the blind development of high energy-consuming industries, reduce energy consumption levels, and promote economic restructuring and industrial upgrading. The third is to introduce and improve economic compensation mechanisms and methods for energy-saving power generation dispatches, and to promote the development of energy-saving power generation dispatching operations; It is to improve the residents' ladder price mechanism, promote reasonable use of electricity by residents and save electricity.

5. Continue to implement and improve the demand-side management tariff policy.

Including peaks and valleys (Feng dry) time-sharing price policy, high reliability electricity prices and interruptible electricity prices policies. According to changes in electricity load conditions, timely adjustment of the peak-valley electricity price and peak dry price policy on the sales side, in areas with conditions, the implementation of the peak electricity price policy, promote users to peak load, to ease the contradiction between supply and demand during peak hours, and improve the efficiency of power resource utilization. In particular, during summer peak seasons or winter peak seasons, large industrial power users (including high-energy-consuming enterprises) in certain power-hungry regions are encouraged to implement seasonal peak price increases and tariff increase subsidies for peak generating units, and at the same time accelerate the formulation of tariffs. The compensation mechanism for frequency-modulated and peak-standby standby units was assumed.

In terms of improving electricity price management, we will focus on the following:

The first is to speed up the electricity price supervision legislation. To solve the problem of sluggish electricity price legislation and severely lagging behind the legal system, we must promptly introduce the “Energy Law” and “Power Supervision Law”, accelerate the revision of the “Electricity Law”, implement the “Regulations on Electricity Regulation”, the electricity price reform program, and the electricity tariff management methods. The reform and management of electricity prices will be put on the legal, scientific and institutional track as soon as possible.

The second is to straighten out the tariff management relationship. At present, the responsibilities of the electricity prices of government departments and regulatory agencies are not clear enough and the relationship is not smooth. It is necessary to rationalize the relationship between the relevant government departments and power regulatory agencies in the management of electricity prices as soon as possible, strengthen cooperation, share results, and increase supervision efficiency.

The third is to improve government electricity price management. Over the years, electricity price management has overstrengthen macro-control, weakening the market regulation function of electricity prices. At the same time, there is a problem that the power tariff management authority is too concentrated, it is difficult to timely reflect the actual situation in various places, and management efficiency needs to be improved. It is necessary to change the practice of using electricity price adjustment as a macroeconomic control policy tool and return to the micromarket regulation function. Strengthen the study on the issue of electricity price management, and decentralize the management of sales tariffs to the provincial government. For the monopoly power grid enterprises, it is necessary to improve supervision capabilities, improve supervision methods, strengthen supervision methods, and improve supervision results.