Gu Yang
With the advancement of the new round of power system reform, some deep-seated problems have gradually become prominent. It is necessary to make overall planning and improve the top-level design from a higher level, so as to realize the sharing, mutual benefit and optimal allocation of power resources on a larger scale.
Promoting the low-carbon transformation of energy through the construction of a unified national power market is also an inherent requirement for the high-quality development of the power industry.
2022 is the seventh year for my country to carry out a new round of power system reform.
Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of a National Unified Electricity Market System", which requires accelerating the formation of a unified and open electricity market system with orderly competition, safety and efficiency, and sound governance. Promote the construction of a unified national electricity market in two stages every year.
As one of the core links of my country's power system reform, the "fast forward button" was pressed in the construction of a unified national power market, marking another key step in my country's power market reform.
In recent years, the construction of my country's power market system has been steadily and orderly progressed, and the pattern of multi-subject market competition has initially formed.
The most significant change is that the market-based transaction volume has increased significantly.
Statistics show that in 2021, the national market-oriented transaction electricity will reach 3.7 trillion kilowatt-hours, which is nearly seven times that of 2015. In particular, the first batch of pilot areas for spot electricity represented by Shanxi has achieved a long-term spot market. With the continuous operation of the cycle, the role of the market in the optimal allocation of power resources is significantly enhanced.
However, the phenomenon of "power outages" and "orderly use of electricity" that appeared in some areas in the second half of last year has left many people unable to let go.
On the surface, the tight power supply is the fuse, but fundamentally, the main reason is the inversion of coal power prices. There is no effective transmission mechanism between them.
In fact, the occurrence of the above phenomenon is not accidental.
With the advancement of a new round of power system reform, some deep-seated problems have gradually emerged, and the development of the power industry will inevitably face realistic contradictions such as an incomplete market system, imperfect functions, inconsistent trading rules, and cross-regional trading barriers.
To solve the above problems, it is necessary to make overall planning and improve the top-level design from a higher level, so as to realize the sharing, mutual assistance and optimal allocation of power resources on a larger scale.
At the same time, as carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals are fully integrated into all aspects of economic and social development, promoting low-carbon energy transformation through the construction of a unified national power market is also an inherent requirement for high-quality development of the power industry.
In the future, my country will speed up the construction of a new power system with new energy as the main body, and it is necessary to further increase the penetration rate of clean energy such as wind energy and solar energy. However, my country's clean energy is mainly concentrated in the "Three North" regions, and its overall consumption is limited by the load intensity of the regional power grid. The acceptance level is not high, and the phenomenon of "abandoning electricity" occurs from time to time.
In this context, accelerating the construction of a unified national power market system will help guide the scientific layout and efficient use of clean energy through market price signals, and will help mobilize all parties in the market to actively participate in promoting clean energy and power system supply and demand balance. , to help achieve the "dual carbon" goal.
Judging from international experience, a unified power market will effectively promote the continuous optimization and upgrading of the allocation of power resources. On the basis of the steady growth in the scale of electricity market-oriented transactions, it will push market transactions to a more standardized development track, thus contributing to the overall development of the power industry. form a positive effect.
However, it should also be noted that my country's electricity market reform has shifted from the initial stage of learning from European and American countries to the exploration stage of deepening reform and innovation. The future reforms may face not only deep water areas, but also no-man's-land areas. , we must prepare in advance for this, combine our national conditions, and focus on innovation and development according to local conditions.
It should be pointed out that electricity is related to the national economy and people's livelihood, and it can be said to affect the whole body. However, no matter how important electricity is, it is still a commodity in the final analysis, and it still needs to follow the objective laws of electricity operation and the development laws of the market economy.
On the one hand, under the premise of ensuring the safe and stable operation of the power grid, it is necessary to restore its commodity attributes as much as possible, and by playing the role of price signal lights, a price transmission mechanism that is conducive to cost alleviation must be formed; on the other hand, it is necessary to break the existing path of the power industry. Dependence and interest barriers, and better play its supporting role in the high-quality economic and social development, this is not only the goal of the construction of a unified national power market, but also an important direction for the reform of the power system.