China's central government will reform its water and electricity pricing policies by the end of 2017, the State Council announced Oct. 15. These changes will include more tiered pricing reforms for water and electricity, as well as adjustments to wastewater fees and to charges for electricity used for operating technology to remove sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and dust particles in industrial processes. By 2016 a water and electricity pricing catalog for utilities and public services will be formulated, and reforms are expected to be rolled out sometime in 2017, the statement said. The move is part of ongoing effort to let markets play a larger role in China's economy. But while the government said it will loosen pricing controls in many areas, authorities will still decide pricing for utilities and public services.
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