China will launch a special enforcement campaign on energy consumption in the steel industry.

　　On June 6, reporters learned that the General Offices of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission recently issued a notice to launch a special inspection on energy consumption in the steel industry.
　　To this end, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission have issued a work plan for a special inspection of energy consumption in the steel industry, deciding to launch a targeted enforcement campaign on energy use in the sector. The initiative will conduct a comprehensive survey of energy‑consumption practices across all steel enterprises nationwide and carry out a special oversight effort to ensure compliance with mandatory energy‑consumption limit standards.
　　The full text is as follows:
　　Work Plan for the Special Inspection on Energy Consumption in the Iron and Steel Industry
　　In order to implement the spirit of the State Council’s “Opinions on Resolving Excess Capacity and Achieving Distressed‑Industry Recovery in the Iron and Steel Sector” (Document No. 6 [2016] of the State Council, hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”), and in accordance with the work requirements set forth in the “Implementation Plan for the Joint Law‑Enforcement Special Campaign in the Iron and Steel and Coal Industries” formulated by the Office of the Inter‑Ministerial Joint Conference on Resolving Excess Capacity and Promoting Distressed‑Industry Recovery, this Work Plan has been developed.
　　I. Work Objectives
　　Diligently implement the State Council’s directives on addressing overcapacity in the steel industry, launch a special enforcement campaign on energy consumption in the sector, conduct a comprehensive survey of energy‑use data across all steel enterprises nationwide, and carry out targeted inspections to ensure compliance with mandatory energy‑consumption limit standards.
　　II. Work Arrangements (1) Inspection Content
　　In accordance with the requirements of the “Opinions,” industrial and information technology authorities and development and reform commissions at all levels shall organize steel enterprises in their respective regions that possess smelting capabilities to conduct self‑inspections of their energy consumption and submit enterprise self‑inspection reports (format provided in the appendix). Building on these self‑inspections, they shall, together with energy‑conservation supervision agencies and other relevant bodies, carry out special energy‑conservation inspections of steel enterprises’ energy consumption through on-site verification. The inspections shall focus on the following areas:
　　1. Enterprise energy consumption. This section primarily covers steel enterprises’ 2015 output of major products, basic energy consumption data, and the energy consumption profiles of key process units—including coking, sintering, pelletizing, ironmaking, basic oxygen furnace (BOF), and electric arc furnace processes—providing both physical quantities and standard‑equivalent values, as well as unit‑product energy consumption for each process.
　　2. Compliance with energy consumption limit standards for enterprise‑level products. In accordance with the mandatory standards, including “Energy Consumption Limits per Unit of Product for Key Processes in Crude Steel Production” (GB 21256–2013) and “Energy Consumption Limits per Unit of Product for Coke Production” (GB 21342–2013), assess compliance with the prescribed energy‑consumption limits for each production process.
　　(II) Results Processing
　　In accordance with the requirements of the “Opinions,” steel production capacity found during inspections to be non‑compliant with mandatory energy‑consumption limit standards shall undergo rectification within six months. Where an extension of the rectification period is genuinely necessary, a request for an extension of no more than three months may be submitted. Failure to complete rectification by the deadline or failure to meet the prescribed rectification standards shall result in lawful closure and phase‑out. Any other violations of energy‑use laws or regulations shall be addressed in accordance with applicable legal provisions.
　　(3) Reporting of Results
　　All localities shall complete the special enforcement inspections by the end of June and submit the corresponding inspection reports by July 10. These reports shall be jointly submitted by the provincial-level departments of industry and information technology and the development and reform commissions to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (Energy Conservation Department) and the National Development and Reform Commission (Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Conservation). The reports shall include the list of inspected enterprises, inspection findings, details of violations and their handling, as well as requirements for corrective actions, together with an analysis of the key issues identified during the inspections and relevant policy recommendations. Moving forward, the competent authorities will, in light of the results of these local special inspections, launch a targeted enforcement campaign on energy consumption.
　　III. Relevant Requirements (1) All regions must fully recognize the importance and urgency of leveraging comprehensive standardization—particularly in energy consumption—in addressing excess steel production capacity. They are to promptly organize special energy‑conservation inspections and rigorously calculate enterprises’ energy‑consumption data in strict accordance with relevant national standards and specifications. Relevant enterprises shall cooperate actively, proactively submit the necessary documentation, and facilitate on-site verification.
　　(2) Relevant departments in each region shall clearly define organizational responsibilities, strengthen overall coordination, ensure accountability, and pool their efforts.
　　(3) Ensure seamless coordination between special inspections and energy‑conservation oversight. The special inspection of energy consumption in the steel industry was a key priority of the 2016 energy‑conservation oversight program and was included as part of the national major energy‑conservation special oversight initiative.
　　(4) Personnel participating in special inspections shall uphold integrity and self-discipline and strictly comply with relevant regulations and requirements. Any violations shall be subject to serious disciplinary action by the personnel’s affiliated unit.