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Beijing Committed to Energy Savings

All government departments and large-scale public utilities, such as subways, in the city are required to save more energy this year as part of Beijing's five-year energy-savings campaign, a source with the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission said on June 6,2005.

All government departments must try to use 8 percent less electricity. Large-scale public organizations should trim at least 10 percent. A supervision office will be set up to ensure compliance this year.

The average amount of electricity consumed by government institutions normally exceeds that of residences by three to six times. Large scale public utilities use as much electricity as half the entire Beijing population, city sources said.

Beijing plans to become an energy-savings city. Under its five-year programme (2005-10), Beijing will increase its energy utilization rate to 40 percent, its water recycling and usage rate to over 50 percent, and at least 30 percent of the city's garbage must be reprocessed for further use.