In the first quarter, the growth of energy supply and consumption picked up, the energy consumption of key energy consumption enterprises declined month by month, and that of unit GDP continues to decline year-on-year.

I. Growth of energy supply and consumption picked up

Preliminary statistics showed that in the first quarter, total energy supply (production + net imports) valued at 655 million tons of standard coal, increasing 3.45 percent year-on-year, speed up 1.65 percentage points over previous quarter. Of which, total energy production reached 585 million tons of standard coal, up 4.31 percent year-on-year; net import accounted for 69.78 million tons of standard coal, dropped 3.28 percent year-on-year.

Total energy consumption grew to 664 million tons of standard coal, a year-on-year increase of 3.04 percent, and speed up 2.25 percentage points over the previous quarter.

At the end of the first quarter, energy stocks in the whole country reduced 2.91 percent from the beginning of the year, stood at general level over the same period of previous year, which appeared seasonal declined.

i) Coal, electricity and other energy consumption rose, while growth of oil consumption increased

In the first quarter, coal consumption hit 649 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 2.69 percent, rose 10.71 percentage points over previous quarter. Electricity consumption arrived at 781 billion kwh, fell 4.02 percent year-on-year, and narrowed 1.98 percentage points over previous quarter. Refined oil consumption amounted to 57.35 million tons, 6.35 percent dropped year-on-year, increased 3.83 percentage points over previous quarter.

ii) Energy consumption of basic industries and key energy-consuming industrial enterprises was booming up

Comparing the fourth quarter of last year, the decreasing or increasing rate of energy consumption of power and raw materials and other basic industries was narrowed or enlarged. Of which, electrical power industry descended 8.91 percent, narrowed decreasing rate by3.56 percentage points; iron and steel industry was declining 5.66 percent, narrowed decreasing rate by 12.02 percentage points; chemical raw materials industry dropped 10.59 percent, narrowed decreasing rate by 4.34 percentage points; building materials industry increased 3.32 percent, booming up increasing rate by 2.42 percentage points.

In the first quarter, the annual energy consumption of key industrial enterprises in the whole country stood at 10,000 tons of standard coal or more decreased 5.0 percent over the same period of previous year, narrowed 6.95 percentage points over previous quarter. Key industrial enterprises in energy consumption since November 2008 were constantly picking up (rose 2.34 percentage points monthly).

II. Unit GDP energy consumption continues to decline

The growth of total energy consumption and GDP stood at 3.04 and 6.1 percent respectively, in accordance with preliminary data accounting, national energy consumption of unit GDP was 2.89 percent lower in the first quarter, year-on-year, while that of increased 0.27 percentage points over the same period of previous year which stood at 2.62 percent.

The overall energy consumption rebounded, and decrease of unit GDP energy consumption, indicated that the Party Central Committee and State Council taken by the "package" plan to cope with the international financial crisis and stimulate economic growth, which kept economic growth on the one hand, and promoted the economic structural adjustment, and energy-saving and emission reduction on the other hand, which embodies the basic requirements of scientific concept of development.