East China's Zhejiang Province managed to reduce its energy consumption last year, according to the local statistical bureau.

 

The bureau said in 2005 Zhejiang's energy consumption for every 10,000 yuan of GDP stood at an equivalent to 0.78 tons of standard coal, 1.3 percent less than the previous year.

 

Major energy-gobbling enterprises had their energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of gross industrial output reduce 9.7 percent from 0.5 tons to 0.45 tons of standard coal.

 

Reduction of energy consumption has become one of the greatest concerns of the Chinese government. In the coming 15 years, the country plans to decrease energy consumption per GDP unit by 20 percent from the current level of 2.6 tons of standard coal.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2006)