Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju has urged the country's electricity regulators to further reforms of the power system for its healthy and rapid development.

The State Electricity Regulatory Commission should explore ways to strengthen supervision of the industry and steadily carry out structural reforms, said Huang in a written instruction to the commission's work conference, which ended in Beijing Friday.

Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan also gave instructions to the commission, recognizing its achievements in ensuring safe and stable operation of the country's electricity sector.

China's electricity output rose by 13 percent to reach 2.83 trillion kilowatt-hours last year and ease the country's power shortage, according to the commission.

Zeng stressed that significance must be attached to work safety, energy efficiency and environmental protection in power production.

Established in 2003, the commission has been promoting reforms of the electricity sector to break monopolies, increase efficiency, reduce energy consumption and build a price mechanism that complies with the market economy.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)