The State advocates the exploitation of rural hydropower resources,
the construction of medium and small size hydropower stations to promote
rural electrification.
The State encourages and supports rural areas to utilize solar energy,
wind energy, geothermal energy, biomass energy, and other energy
resources to develop rural electric power sources and to increase the
rural power supply.
Article 49
The local people's governments at and above the county level and their
comprehensive economic departments, when allocating electricity quotas,
shall guarantee the proper proportion of electricity for rural and
agricultural utilization, and give priority to the electricity for rural
floodwater drainage, combat of drought, and seasonal agricultural
production.
Electric power enterprises shall comply with the allocation of
electricity as set forth in the preceding section, and shall not reduce
the quotas for rural and agricultural utilization.
Article 50
The electricity price for agriculture shall be set in accordance with
the principles of "cost compensation" and "marginal profit".
The price of electricity utilized by farmers and by local urban
residents for their living shall be gradually unified.
Article 51
The regulation on management of electric power for agricultural and
rural utilization shall be worked out by the State Council.
Chapter VII Protection of Power Facilities
Article 52
No unit or individual may harm electricity generation, substation and
electric power line facilities as well as their relevant auxiliary
facilities.
Any explosion operations that are conducted in the vicinity of power
facilities, and other work that might endanger the safety of power
facilities, shall be in accordance with regulations of the State Council
concerning the protection of power facilities, conducted only after
approval and definite measures for ensuring the safety of the power
facilities are taken.
Article 53
The administrative department of electric power shall, according to
the regulations of the State Council concerning the protection of power
facilities, set up signs in power facility protection areas.
No unit or individual may construct any buildings or other
constructional structures, plant vegetation, or place objects which might
endanger the safety of power facilities within power facility protection
areas demarcated according to law.
Vegetation that imperils the safety of power facilities but was
planted before the area was demarcated according to law as a power
facility protection area, shall be trimmed or cut.
Article 54
In power facility protection areas demarcated according to law, units
or individuals may carry out operations that might endanger the safety of
the power facilities only after approval of the administrative department
of electric power and definite safety measures have been taken.
Article 55
If power facilities and public projects, afforestation projects or
other projects obstruct one another in the process of construction,
reconstruction and expansion, the units involved shall begin operations
only after consultation in accordance with the State's relevant
regulations and reaching an agreement.
Chapter VIII Supervision and Inspection
Article 56
The administrative department of electric power shall supervise and
inspect the implementation of the electricity laws and the administrative
regulations by electric power enterprises and users.
Article 57
If needed, the administrative department of electric power may staff
electric power supervisory and inspective personnel.
Electric power supervisory and inspective personnel shall be impartial
and honest, enforce laws justly, be familiar with the electricity laws and
regulations, and master relevant specialized electric power techniques.
Article 58
When electric power supervisory and inspective personnel perform their
duties, they shall have the rights to ascertain the implementation of the
electricity laws and the administrative regulations by electric power
enterprises and users, scrutinize relevant documents, and have the
authority to enter the spots for inspection.
The electric power enterprises and users shall provide all convenience
to electric power supervisory and inspective personnel who are on duty.
When carrying out supervision and inspection, electric power
supervisory and inspective personnel shall present proper identification.
Chapter IX Legal Responsibility
Article 59
Electric power enterprises or users who break the power supply and
utilization contract and thereby cause the other party contractual losses
shall be liable for compensation according to law.
Electric power enterprises, in violation of the provisions of Article
28 or Section 1 of Article 29 of this law, that do not ensure the quality
of power supply or interrupt the power supply without prior notice to
users and thereby cause users losses, shall be liable for compensation
according to law.
Article 60
Electric power enterprises that cause users or the third party losses
or damages because of electric power operation fault shall be liable for
compensation according to law.
Electric power enterprises are exempt from compensation liability if
an electric power operation fault is caused by one of the following
factors:
(1) force major;
(2) the user's own fault.
If losses or damages are caused to electric power enterprises or other
users because of the fault of a user or the third party, the user or the
third party causing the losses shall be liable for compensation according
to law.
Article 61
For those who violate the provisions of Section 2 of Article 11 of
this law by illegally occupying or utilizing the land for substation
facilities, transmission line corridors, and cable channels, the local
people's governments at and above the county level shall order them to
rectify within a given time period; if a rectification is not made within
the specified time, the obstacles shall be forcefully eliminated.
Article 62
For those electric power construction projects that violate the
provisions of Article 14 of this law by conflicting with the power
development planning or industrial policy, the administrative department
of electric power shall order them to stop the construction of the
project.
Those electric power construction projects that violate the provisions
of Article 14 of this law by utilizing electric power equipment or
technology declared obsolete by formal decree of the State, the
administrative department of electric power shall order them to stop the
use of such equipment or technology, confiscate the obsolete electric
equipment and impose a fine of up to 50000 yuan.
Article 63
For those who violate the provisions of Article 25 of this law by
supplying electricity or changing the service area without permission, the
administrative department of electric power shall order them to rectify,
confiscate any illegal gains, and impose a fine of up to five times the
amount of any illegal gains.
Article 64
For those who violate the provisions of Article 26 or Article 29 of
this law by refusing to supply electricity or by interrupting power
supply, the administrative department of electric power shall order them
to rectify, and give a disciplinary warning; if the case is serious, an
administrative penalty shall be imposed upon the involved person in charge
and those persons who bear direct responsibility.
Article 65
For those who violate the provisions of Article 32 of this law by
endangering the safety of power supply and utilization or by disturbing
the order of power supply and utilization, the administrative department
of electric power shall order them to rectify and give them a warning. If
the case is serious or in case of refusing to make rectification, the
administrative department of electric power may suspend their power supply
and impose a fine of up to 50000 yuan.
Article 66
For those who violate the provisions of Article 33, Article 43 or
Article 44 of this law by charging users electricity fees that are not
based on the price approved by the State or that are not based on the
records of the electricity meters; or those who exceed their authority in
setting electricity prices or in charging other fees, the pricing
administrative department shall give them a warning, order them to return
the fees and charges collected illegally, and may impose a fine of up to
five times the amount of the fees and charges collected illegally. If the
case is serious, an administrative penalty shall be imposed upon the
involved person in charge and those persons who bear direct
responsibility.
Article 67
For those who violate the provisions of Section 2 of Article 49 of
this law by reducing the quota for agricultural and rural utilization, the
administrative department of electric power shall order them to rectify.
If the case is serious, an administrative penalty shall be imposed upon
the involved person in charge and those persons who bear direct
responsibility. If losses are thereby caused, the violator shall be
ordered to make the compensation.
Article 68
For those who violate the provisions of Section 2 of Article 52 or
Article 54 of this law by carrying out operations in the vicinity of the
power facilities or in a power facility protection area demarcated
according to law without