China’s Energy Crisis Highlights Weaknesses in Xi’s Power Plans

  • Liberalizing the power market still poses risks to consumers
  • More storage needed to manage intermittency of renewables
A transmission project in Xinjiang on Sept. 21, 2018.

Photographer: Zhao Ge/Xinhua via Getty Images

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China’s energy crisis has highlighted weaknesses in one of President Xi Jinping’s top priorities -- energy security -- that could have ramifications for the power system for years to come.

To avoid repeats of the chaos ravaging the world’s second biggest economy, the country will probably have to take major steps toward reshaping its grid and power market, building fuel reserves, and adding more renewable and flexible energy sources.