China will continue to face a shortage of electricity supply as the economy keeps on the fast track, the chief supervisor of the power industry said in Beijing yesterday.

　　Chai Songyue, chairman of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission told a national meeting on securing electricity production that China would have a shortfall of more than 20 million kilowatts in electricity supply this year.

　　He said in some areas of the country, the power shortage will be even worse than last year.

　　Some 22 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities had to cut off electricity at peak times in 2003 as China's economy galloped at 9.1 percent growth.

　　In the first two months of the year, a significant number of areas in the country have already been forced to cut power supply though the peak time of electricity consumption is yet to come.

　　Chai said electricity shortage would be acute in such areas like East and South China. Certain parts of north, northwest and central China would also suffer inadequate power supply. The problem would be most prominent in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and Shanghai this year, Chai said.

　　(Xinhua)