China's achievements in expanding electricity access for the poor

By the end of 2002, household electrification in China had already exceeded 98.4 %; however, there are still about 4.58 million households without access to electricity. These households and the entire townships and villages without electricity are principally found in remote areas of China's western provinces, far away from power grids. There is a close relationship between lack of electricity and poverty. The poorest provinces in China have the lowest electrification levels, and all of these provinces are situated in western China. China's power sector has undergone major reforms in recent years. There are also various electrification programs in the rural regions to expand electricity access. This paper aims to present an introduction to the main power policy, regulation and institution characteristics in force in China, examine these power sector reforms (initiatives), and attempt to evaluate their influence on the rural poor population. Particularly, the impact of the newly approved Renewable Energy Law on access to electricity for the poor is evaluated.