China's power coal stockpile has risen to 26.31 million tons, enough to fuel power stations throughout the country for 10 days on average, according to the latest statistics from the State Electricity Regulatory Commission(SERC).

The figures also show that power stations with coal reserves of less than three-day burning have dropped from the peak of 89 to a low of 38.

The SERC's report on Friday said that the local grids in snow and ice stricken provinces of Hunan, Jiangxi and Guizhou are yet to be repaired, while those in other provincial areas are basically normal.

Serious snow storms over the past few weeks have disrupted power supply in wide areas of south and east China. The bad weather has also made it difficult for rail transportation of coal from mines to power plants. The Chinese government has been urging coal-producing provinces to increase output and the Ministry of Railways to give top priority to coal transportation.

The disaster relief and emergency command center under the State Council said Friday that about 150,000 workers were working to bring back power services in regions blacked out by the worst winter storm in more than five decades.

By 5 p.m. Thursday, the State Grid Corp. of China had restored power supply to 20.38 million households. By Thursday noon, the smaller China Southern Power Grid had successfully repaired 4,276 power transmission lines and was working on the remaining 2,498 lines, according to the center.
?
(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2008)