China’s revised electricity-safety regulations, effective January 1, 2027, add county-level outage controls and encourage grid investment.

China published revised Regulations on Emergency Response, Investigation and Handling of Electric Power Safety Accidents (《电力安全事故应急处置和调查处理条例》), which will take effect on January 1, 2027. The revisions extend electricity-safety controls from a primary focus on urban grids to broader urban and rural coverage.

The regulations add county-level power-outage control provisions. China’s National Energy Administration said county grids are critical infrastructure connecting urban and rural development and supporting public services.

The agency identified grid architecture and equipment operating pressure as continuing issues in some remote counties. It said the revisions would encourage investment in county-grid construction, operations, maintenance and emergency-response systems.

The rules also call for greater integration of urban and rural standards for grid planning, construction, operation and maintenance. The control standards are intended to account for regional development conditions while balancing safety spending and development benefits.