Recently, the National Energy Administration issued the "Implementation Opinions on Deepening the Reform of "Delegation, Regulation and Service" in the Energy Sector and Optimizing the Business Environment", supporting the development of new energy from multiple angles.

1. Simplify the approval (filing) procedures for new energy projects. For projects that have fulfilled the administrative licensing procedures in accordance with laws and regulations, no additional or disguised processing links and application materials shall be added for the project construction, grid connection and completion acceptance. Local governments are encouraged to explore and learn from the "standard land" reform method to complete some basic evaluation, approval and other work for new energy projects in advance, lay a good foundation for the projects, and improve the efficiency of energy project start-up. For new energy power generation projects that are connected to the distribution network and consumed locally, power grid companies should provide good grid connection services.

2. Power grid companies should provide grid access and grid interconnection services for new energy, distributed energy, new energy storage, microgrids and incremental distribution networks, provide necessary information for related projects to carry out access system design, and clarify the information query process and processing time limit for the developable capacity of distribution transformers.

3. Promote the integration of multi-energy complementarity and the development of comprehensive energy services. Promote the establishment of a mechanism to promote the coordinated development of multiple energy varieties with wind, solar, water, fire and storage as the core, improve the integrated planning, construction and approval process of multi-energy complementary projects, and coordinate the construction sequence of multi-energy complementary projects and transmission channels. Promote the approval (filing) of microgrid internal source network load storage package, and accelerate the approval and construction progress of comprehensive energy projects. Explore and promote the joint operation of "electricity, water, gas and heat".

4. Establish and improve a long-term mechanism for low-carbon transformation of energy. Support coal, oil and gas and other enterprises to use existing resources to build clean energy power generation projects such as photovoltaics, promote the implementation of natural gas power generation and renewable energy integration development projects, and promote the coordinated development of fossil energy and renewable energy. Adapt to the construction of new power systems and promote better coordination of coal-fired power, gas-fired power and new energy development. Further encourage and optimize energy companies to sign long-term agreements with major users to ensure stable energy supply.

The original text is as follows:

Notice of the National Energy Administration on Printing and Distributing the Implementation Opinions on Deepening the Reform of "Delegating Power, Delegating Control and Optimizing the Business Environment in the Energy Sector

National Energy Development Law Reform [2021] No. 63

Energy Bureaus of all provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government), Development and Reform Commissions, Economic and Information Commissions (Industry and Information Technology Commissions, Industry and Information Technology Departments) of relevant provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, all dispatched agencies, and relevant central energy enterprises:
In order to implement the decision-making and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on deepening the reform of "delegating power, delegating control and optimising the business environment", implement the "Regulations on Optimizing the Business Environment", deepen the reform of "delegating power, delegating control and optimising the business environment" in the energy sector, and strive to cultivate and stimulate the vitality of market entities, the National Energy Administration has formulated the "Implementation Opinions on Deepening the Reform of "Delegating Power, Delegating Control and Optimising the Business Environment in the Energy Sector", which is now issued to you. Please organize and implement it conscientiously.
National Energy Administration
December 22, 2021
Attachment: Implementation Opinions on Deepening the Reform of "Delegating Power, Delegating Control and Serving the Country" in the Energy Sector to Optimize the Business Environment
Implementation Opinions on Deepening the Reform of "Delegating Power, Delegating Control and Serving the Country" in the Energy Sector to Optimize the Business Environment
In order to implement the decision-making and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on deepening the reform of "delegating power, delegating power, delegating control and serving the country", implement the "Regulations on Optimizing the Business Environment", deepen the reform of "delegating power, delegating power, delegating control and serving the country" in the energy sector, and strive to cultivate and stimulate the vitality of market entities, the following implementation opinions are proposed.
I. Continue to deepen the reform of the administrative approval system
(I) Promote the full coverage of the reform of "separation of licenses and certificates" in the energy sector
Deepen the reform of "separation of licenses and certificates" in the energy sector nationwide, and vigorously promote the reduction of certificates and simplified approval after obtaining a license. Energy authorities at all levels and dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration should include business license matters involving enterprises in the list management, and promote the reform of the approval system in four ways: directly canceling approval, changing approval to filing, implementing informed commitment, and optimizing approval services. Determine specific reform measures item by item, establish simple, efficient, fair, transparent, and lenient entry and strict management industry operating rules, and improve the convenience and predictability of energy market entities.
(II) Optimize enterprise-related approval services
Energy authorities at all levels should clean up and standardize administrative approval pre-conditions and approval standards in the energy field. Relying on the national integrated government service platform, promote more energy-related enterprise matters to be handled online, promote the interconnection and data sharing of relevant approval systems, and reduce institutional transaction costs. Streamline and integrate the approval process for energy project investment and construction, and further clean up and standardize administrative licenses, technical reviews and other matters involved in the entire project approval process on the premise of ensuring project quality and safety. Strengthen the connection between project approval and construction conditions such as land use and planning, and promote the simultaneous consideration of public utilities such as gas supply, water supply, and electricity supply in the overall urban and rural development plan.
(III) Promote the notification and commitment system for administrative licenses
Promote the notification and commitment system for administrative licenses in the energy field, and comprehensively implement the notification and commitment system for administrative licenses such as power business and installation (repair and testing) of power facilities. Clarify the licensing conditions, applicable objects, regulatory rules and consequences of violating the commitment in accordance with the law, and inform the enterprise at one time. After the implementation of the notification and commitment, the enterprise shall no longer be required to provide the approval materials that can be reduced due to the enterprise's commitment. For enterprises that voluntarily make commitments and submit materials as required, the approval decision shall be made on the spot. Strengthen supervision during and after the event. When necessary, conduct full-coverage inspections and impose punishment on dishonest and illegal enterprises in accordance with laws and regulations.
(IV) Increase the intensity of pilot reforms to streamline administration and delegate power
In areas with conditions such as free trade pilot zones and pilot reforms of standardized administrative filing management, further increase the intensity of pilot reforms to streamline administration and delegate power in the energy field, and accumulate replicable and popularizable experience for the national reform of streamlining administration and delegating power. Encourage provincial energy authorities to explore and promote the linkage and integration of relevant energy approval departments to further improve approval efficiency.
2. Effectively strengthen scientific supervision in the energy field
(I) Continue to strengthen supervision of energy market order
Distinguish between competitive and monopolistic links, and promote the separation of natural monopoly businesses and competitive businesses in the energy field. Promote the implementation of the functional positioning of power grid enterprises, further deepen the market-oriented reform of competitive businesses of natural monopoly enterprises, and establish a reporting mechanism for power grid enterprises to focus on their main responsibilities and businesses. Strengthen market order supervision in competitive links, strengthen supervision of market operating institutions’ transaction organization, announcement release, result clearing, information disclosure and other links, and ensure the openness and transparency of the market operation process.
(II) Comprehensively implement "double random, one public" supervision
Energy authorities at all levels should improve the random inspection mechanism and the list of inspection items, and clarify the inspection focus, inspection methods and work requirements. Implement graded and classified supervision based on the level of credit risk, increase the proportion and frequency of random inspections of high-risk market entities, and enhance the accuracy and deterrence of supervision.
(III) Improve and perfect credit supervision
Strengthen the collection and sharing of credit information, public credit evaluation, credit risk analysis and early warning in the energy field, and improve credit supervision systems and measures such as credit commitment, untrustworthy constraints, and credit repair. In key regulatory areas such as administrative licensing, administrative approval, new energy grid connection, power market transactions, fair opening of oil and gas pipelines, and power engineering construction, combine "double random, one public" supervision, strengthen the use of credit grading and classification differentiated supervision measures, and implement trustworthy incentives and untrustworthy penalties.
(IV) Vigorously promote "Internet + Supervision"
Strengthen the collection of data in the field of energy supervision, further improve the risk warning model of the "Internet + Supervision" system, form a risk warning clue push, disposal and feedback mechanism, and improve the level of intelligent energy supervision. Improve the functions of the "Internet + Supervision" system, optimize and enhance the supporting capabilities, develop and improve supporting functions around the key regulatory business needs of the energy industry such as administrative licensing, industry planning, project approval, market operation, and safety control, and further increase the sharing of government information resources.
(V) Actively explore and improve the ability of coordinated supervision
In combination with the needs of energy industry supervision, establish a regulatory mechanism that combines vertical and horizontal, regional linkage, information sharing, and collaborative efficiency. Promote the establishment of a cross-departmental comprehensive supervision mechanism in the energy field to reduce law enforcement disturbances and improve supervision efficiency. Strengthen the connection between administrative law enforcement and judicial affairs, and establish and improve the case notification, case transfer and joint investigation mechanisms.
III. Promote the standardization, regularization and convenience of government services
(I) Promote the standardization of the implementation list of government services
Promote the gradual realization of the unification of the acceptance conditions, handling procedures, required materials, completion time limits, and handling results of government services in the same energy field across the country. For local government services in the energy field established by various regions in accordance with laws and regulations, the energy authorities should do a good job in unifying the implementation list elements.
(II) Standardize approval and service behaviors
Promote the handling of approval and service matters in accordance with laws and regulations, provide service strictly in accordance with the implementation list of approval and service matters in the energy field, disclose information such as the process and conditions for handling matters, and do not add preconditions beyond the statutory conditions. Strictly implement the system of first-question responsibility, one-time notification and time-limited completion. Energy authorities at all levels and dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration should disclose the implementation of relevant project approval and service standards in a timely manner.
(III) Standardize intermediary services
Further clean up intermediary service matters in the energy field that have no legal basis for government services. For mandatory intermediary service matters that must be retained, energy authorities at all levels should implement catalog list management and promptly announce them to the public, and should not force enterprises to choose specific intermediary service agencies. Strengthen credit supervision of intermediary service agencies, implement credit rating evaluation and dynamic qualification management, and solve problems such as multiple intermediary service links, long time consumption, market monopoly, and red-top intermediaries.

(IV) Promote the convenience of government services
From the perspective of serving enterprises and the public, provide thematic and package services for matters with strong internal relevance, high frequency of service, and strong sense of gain for enterprises and the public in the integrated energy field. According to the requirements of "one notification, one form application, one set of materials, one window acceptance, one network processing, and one-stop certification", optimize and reengineer the business processing process, reduce the service links, streamline the service materials, and shorten the processing time. Accelerate the application of electronic certificates in government services in the energy field. Information that can be obtained through data sharing shall not require the service provider to provide physical certificates. Implement the "good and bad reviews" system for government services and carry out the "good and bad reviews" work in an all-round way.
(V) Promote the "notification and commitment" and "acceptance with missing documents" system for government services
In addition to government services involving public safety, ecological environment protection, energy conservation, etc., energy authorities at all levels and dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration shall sort out the list of matters that adopt notification and commitment in accordance with the principle of maximum principle, clarify the specific content, requirements and legal responsibilities of the commitment, refine the online service commitment method and the supervision rules of the commitment matters, and publish them to the public in a timely manner. Improve the service mechanism for accepting services with missing documents. Energy authorities at all levels and the dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration shall compile and publish a list of government service items in the energy field that can be accepted with missing documents in accordance with the law, and clarify the name of the items, the main application materials and the materials that can be accepted with missing documents.
IV. Optimize the business environment to cultivate and stimulate the vitality of market entities
(I) Optimize electricity services
Provincial energy authorities shall take the lead in optimizing the business environment for electricity use in accordance with national requirements, accelerate the construction of a government-enterprise collaborative electricity information sharing platform, realize data system interconnection and information sharing, promote power supply companies to further reduce electricity application time, improve the transparency and convenience of electricity application, reduce electricity application costs, and comprehensively promote the "zero door-to-door, zero approval, zero investment" service for low-voltage small and micro enterprises and the "effort-saving, time-saving, and money-saving" service for high-voltage users. The dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration shall increase supervision, consolidate the main responsibilities of power supply companies, and guide and urge relevant provincial energy authorities to fulfill their leading responsibilities.
(II) Improve the quality of power supply
Power supply enterprises should strengthen the management of power supply quality for users, vigorously promote non-stop power supply operations, effectively reduce the time, frequency and impact range of power outages for power users, improve the power quality of distribution networks, and increase the rectification of frequent power outages, low voltage and other problems. Provincial energy authorities and dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration should strengthen the daily supervision of the main indicators of power supply quality such as power supply reliability and voltage qualification rate to ensure safe and stable power supply quality.
(III) Standardize grid connection services
Grid enterprises should provide grid access and grid interconnection services for projects such as new energy, distributed energy, new energy storage, microgrids and incremental distribution networks, provide necessary information for the design of access systems for related projects, and clarify the information query process and processing time limit for the developable capacity of distribution transformers. Grid enterprises should optimize the basic grid connection process and internal mechanism, simplify the collection list according to national and industry technical standards and specifications, clarify technical requirements, provide a service window for dedicated personnel to connect, further shorten the processing time limit for grid connection application acceptance, plan reply and other links, clarify the construction time of grid connection projects in the grid connection agreement, and improve the efficiency of grid connection services. All provincial energy authorities should promote the clarification of the repurchase mechanism and standards for self-built supporting transmission projects of new energy investment in light of the actual situation. Establish a grid access completion rate evaluation mechanism, and use the grid access completion rate as an important indicator for grid companies to implement the responsibility of renewable energy consumption.
Oil and gas pipeline network facility operators should ensure the high-quality opening of infrastructure, provide oil and gas transportation, storage, gasification, loading and unloading, and transshipment services to users who meet the opening conditions in accordance with laws and regulations, and disclose the basic information of oil and gas pipeline network facilities, remaining capacity, service conditions, technical standards, price standards, application and acceptance procedures, the list of written materials that users need to submit, confidentiality requirements, etc., simplify the handling links, shorten the handling time, and improve the efficiency of open service acceptance. Strengthen the supervision of infrastructure service performance, strengthen the punishment of contract breach and credit supervision, and clarify the market supply guarantee responsibility of new entrants.
(IV) Effectively maintain a fair and competitive market order
In-depth promotion of substantive review of fair competition, no department or unit shall interfere with the legitimate trading behavior and market prices of market entities, shall not set unreasonable thresholds, shall not organize special transactions, and encourage market entities to participate in cross-provincial and cross-regional transactions.
(V) Urge energy enterprises to bid and tender in accordance with laws and regulations
To improve the transparency and standardization of bidding and tendering in the energy field, power grid enterprises, oil and gas pipeline network enterprises and other energy enterprises should further standardize bidding and tendering management, improve institutional rules, clear hidden barriers, strengthen information disclosure, and further create a fair competition market environment. Continue to promote the electronicization of the entire bidding process, and promote the interconnection and sharing of resources of bid evaluation experts in the energy field.
(VI) Pay attention to the reasonable demands of market entities
Energy authorities at all levels and dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration should improve the mechanism for solving reasonable demands of enterprises, improve the process of problem acceptance, coordinated handling, and result feedback, put an end to the phenomenon of no complaints and buck-passing, and effectively solve the practical difficulties faced by enterprises. Matters related to the business environment reported by enterprises and the public should be investigated and handled seriously, and the clues of complaints and reports should not be transferred to the subject of the complaint and report for handling. The "three designated" behaviors of users' power receiving projects should be seriously investigated and dealt with. Establish an energy data information platform, release energy data information to the society in a timely manner, and guide investment and construction.
V. Innovation promotes low-carbon energy transformation
(I) Improve energy security supply and emergency mechanisms
Establish energy security monitoring and early warning and risk response mechanisms, establish regional energy monitoring systems, and improve energy supply emergency plans. Promote the construction of power emergency systems, and strictly implement the main responsibilities of local governments and power companies for power safety production and supply security. Improve the coordination mechanism for coal, electricity, oil and gas supply security, and accelerate the construction of energy reserve systems.
(II) Promote the accelerated development of new energy
Simplify the approval (filing) procedures for new energy projects. For projects that have fulfilled the administrative licensing procedures in accordance with laws and regulations, no additional or disguised processing links and application materials shall be added for the project construction, grid connection and completion acceptance. Local governments are encouraged to explore and learn from the "standard land" reform method to complete some basic evaluation, approval and other work for new energy projects in advance, lay a good foundation for the projects, and improve the efficiency of energy project start-up. For new energy power generation projects that are connected to the distribution network and consumed locally, power grid companies should provide good grid connection services.
(III) Promote the integration of multi-energy complementarity and the development of comprehensive energy services
Promote the establishment of a mechanism to promote the coordinated development of multiple energy varieties with wind, solar, water, fire and storage as the core, improve the integrated planning, construction and approval process of multi-energy complementarity projects, and coordinate the construction sequence of multi-energy complementarity projects and transmission channels. Promote the approval (filing) of microgrid internal source grid-load-storage packages, and accelerate the approval and construction progress of comprehensive energy projects. Explore and promote the joint operation of "electricity, water, gas and heat" in one network.
(IV) Promote the market-based trading of distributed power generation
Improve the market trading mechanism, support distributed power generation to participate in market trading, explore the construction of trading platforms based on blockchain and other technical applications, and establish a system and mechanism for trading with renewable energy microgrids, existing local power grids, incremental distribution networks and large power grids. Promote the development of distributed power generation transactions nearby and implement relevant price policies. Promote distributed power generation to participate in green power trading.
(V) Establish and improve a long-term mechanism for low-carbon transformation of energy
Support coal, oil and gas and other enterprises to use existing resources to build clean energy power generation projects such as photovoltaics, promote the implementation of natural gas power generation and renewable energy integration development projects, and promote the coordinated development of fossil energy and renewable energy. Adapt to the construction of new power systems and promote better coordination between coal-fired power, gas-fired power and new energy development. Further encourage and optimize energy companies to sign long-term agreements with major users to ensure stable energy supply.
(VI) Explore new ways of inclusive and prudent supervision
For new industries and new formats such as integrated energy services, smart energy, and energy storage, explore the "regulatory sandbox" mechanism, and encourage policy and mechanism innovation on the basis of strictly abiding by safety and environmental protection standards. Establish a benign communication and interaction mechanism between energy authorities and emerging market players, and explore effective ways to integrate supervision into services in practice.
VI. Organization and implementation
(I) Strengthen organizational coordination. Energy authorities at all levels and dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration should attach great importance to it, unify their understanding, perform their respective duties, and form a joint force. The National Energy Administration will strengthen guidance and supervision of energy authorities at all levels and dispatched agencies of the National Energy Administration to ensure that reform measures are implemented in place.
(II) Do a good job in responsibility implementation. All units must earnestly assume their responsibilities, follow the various measures and requirements put forward in this opinion, grasp the relevant reforms in a down-to-earth manner, and truly release vitality, manage fairness, and serve efficiency.
(III) Strengthen evaluation and summary. Energy authorities at all levels should closely follow the progress of reforms, summarize experiences in a timely manner, and accumulate innovative practices and experiences that can be replicated and promoted to deepen the reform of "delegating power, delegating power, and improving services" and optimize the business environment.
Source: National Energy Administration