Promulgated by Decree No. 599 of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China on July 7, 2011; revised by Decree No. 845 of the State Council on August 30, 2026
Effective: January 1, 2027
Table of Contents
Chapter I — General Provisions
Article 1 — These Regulations are formulated for the purpose of strengthening the emergency response to electric power safety accidents, standardizing the investigation and handling of electric power safety accidents, controlling, mitigating and eliminating the damage caused by electric power safety accidents, and safeguarding the safe and stable operation of the electric power system and the reliable supply of electric power.
Article 2 — For the purposes of these Regulations, an “electric power safety accident” means an accident that occurs in the course of electric power production or power grid operation and affects the safe and stable operation of the electric power system or the normal supply of electric power.
Article 3 — Based on the extent to which an electric power safety accident (hereinafter referred to as an “accident”) affects the safe and stable operation of the electric power system or the normal supply of electric power, accidents are classified as particularly major accidents, major accidents, relatively major accidents and general accidents. The standards for classifying accident levels are set out in the Annex to these Regulations. Where any item of the standards for classifying accident levels needs to be adjusted, the competent energy department under the State Council shall propose a plan and submit it to the State Council for approval.
The standards for classifying the level of an accident in an area supplied by a single transmission line or a single substation, where a fault in that single transmission line or single substation causes a reduction in the load supplied by the power grid or a power outage to electricity users, shall be formulated separately by the competent energy department under the State Council and submitted to the State Council for approval.
Article 4 — The competent energy department under the State Council shall strengthen the supervision and administration of electric power safety, establish and improve, in accordance with the law, the various systems for accident emergency response and investigation and handling, and organize or participate in accident investigation and handling.
The competent energy department under the State Council, other relevant departments under the State Council, and local people’s governments at all levels and their relevant departments shall, in accordance with the authority and procedures prescribed by the State, organize, coordinate and participate in accident emergency response work.
Article 5 — Electric power enterprises, electricity users and other entities connected to and operating within the power grid (hereinafter referred to as “other grid-connected entities”) shall observe the provisions on electric power safety administration, submit to unified dispatch, strictly implement the relevant standards and technical specifications, carry out accident prevention measures in such links as the planning, construction and operation of the electric power system, strengthen the investigation and rectification of accident hazards, and prevent and avoid the occurrence of accidents.
Electric power dispatching institutions shall strictly carry out power grid operation control in accordance with the relevant laws, administrative regulations and the provisions of the competent energy department under the State Council.
Important electricity users designated by the relevant departments of local people’s governments at or above the county level shall, in accordance with the provisions of the competent energy department under the State Council, be equipped with self-provided emergency power sources and strengthen their safe use and administration.
Article 6 — After an accident occurs, the relevant units and individuals shall, in accordance with the provisions, report the accident promptly and accurately, carry out emergency response work, prevent the accident from expanding, and mitigate the damage caused by the accident. Electric power enterprises and other grid-connected entities shall restore electric power production, power grid operation and the normal supply of electric power as soon as possible.
The relevant people’s governments and their relevant departments shall provide necessary support and guarantees for accident emergency response.
Article 7 — No unit or individual may obstruct or interfere with the reporting of accidents, emergency response, or investigation and handling conducted in accordance with the law.
Chapter II — Accident Reporting
Article 8 — After an accident occurs, the relevant personnel at the accident scene shall immediately report to the on-duty personnel of the power plant or substation (converter station), the on-duty personnel of the electric power dispatching institution, or the person in charge at the scene of their unit. Upon receiving the report, the relevant personnel shall immediately report to the electric power dispatching institution at the next higher level and to the person in charge of their unit. Upon receiving the report, the person in charge of the unit shall immediately report to the dispatched energy regulatory institution established by the competent energy department under the State Council in the locality (hereinafter referred to as the “dispatched energy regulatory institution”) and to the emergency management department of the people’s government at or above the county level. Where an accident at a thermal power plant affects the normal supply of heat, it shall also be reported to the heating administration department; where an accident involves the safety of a dam at a hydropower plant (station), it shall also be reported at the same time to the competent water administration department or the river basin management institution with jurisdiction.
An electric power dispatching institution at or above the provincial, autonomous regional or municipal level shall, with respect to an accident occurring within the scope of its dispatching jurisdiction, immediately report to the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution.
The unit where the accident occurred, the electric power dispatching institution and their relevant personnel shall not delay reporting, conceal reporting, or falsely report the accident.
Article 9 — After receiving an accident report, the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall immediately verify the relevant information and report to the competent energy department under the State Council; where the accident causes a power outage to electricity users, it shall at the same time notify the local people’s government at or above the county level in the place where the accident occurred.
With respect to a particularly major accident or a major accident, the competent energy department under the State Council shall, upon receiving the accident report, immediately report to the State Council and notify the emergency management department under the State Council and other relevant departments.
Article 10 — An accident report shall include the following particulars:
(1) the time and place (area) of the accident, the unit where the accident occurred, and a brief account of the accident;
(2) the known damage to electric power equipment and facilities, the number of generating units taken out of service, the value of the load reduction of the power grid or the reduction in output of generating units, and the scope of the power outage;
(3) the preliminary assessment of the cause of the accident;
(4) the measures taken after the accident, the operation mode of the power grid, the operating status of the generating units, and the state of accident control; and
(5) other information that should be reported.
The accident report may first report the information already known, and the detailed information may be reported subsequently. Where new circumstances emerge after the accident report, they shall be reported in a supplementary manner in a timely manner.
Article 11 — After an accident occurs, the relevant units and personnel shall properly protect the accident scene and the relevant materials such as work logs, work tickets and operation tickets, promptly preserve the relevant data such as fault oscillographs, electric power dispatching data, generating unit operating data and transmission and transformation equipment operating data, and hand over the relevant materials and data to the accident investigation team after it is established.
Where it is necessary to change the accident scene or move electric power equipment in order to rescue personnel or to take emergency measures such as restoring electric power production, power grid operation and electric power supply, marks shall be made, sketches of the scene shall be drawn, important traces and physical evidence shall be properly preserved, and a written record shall be made.
No unit or individual may deliberately damage the accident scene, or fabricate, conceal or destroy relevant evidence.
Chapter III — Emergency Response to Accidents
Article 12 — Electric power enterprises shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State, formulate emergency rescue plans for accidents of their own units and organize regular drills. Accident emergency rescue plans shall be filed with the dispatched energy regulatory institution and copied to the emergency management department of the local people’s government at or above the county level.
The competent energy department under the State Council and the dispatched energy regulatory institutions shall guide electric power enterprises in strengthening the construction of the accident emergency rescue system and ensure the input of materials, equipment and other resources.
Article 13 — After an accident occurs, the relevant electric power enterprises, electricity users and other grid-connected entities shall immediately take corresponding emergency handling measures, control the scope of the accident, and prevent the systematic collapse and disintegration of the power grid; where the accident endangers the safety of persons and equipment, the relevant on-duty operators may, in accordance with the relevant provisions, immediately take emergency handling measures such as shutting down generating units and transmission and transformation equipment.
Where an accident causes damage to electric power equipment or facilities, the relevant electric power enterprises and other grid-connected entities shall immediately organize emergency repair.
Article 14 — Based on the specific circumstances of the accident, the electric power dispatching institution may issue electric power dispatching orders such as starting up or shutting down generating units, adjusting the active and reactive output of generating units, adjusting the operation mode of the power grid, and adjusting the dispatching plan, and electric power enterprises, electricity users and other grid-connected entities shall implement them.
Where the accident may damage the stability of the electric power system and cause a large-area power outage of the power grid, the electric power dispatching institution shall have the authority to decide to take necessary measures such as reducing or limiting load, splitting the power grid, and splitting off generating units.
Where an accident causes the entire electric power system in a certain area to stop operating, the electric power dispatching institution shall immediately determine a plan for restoring power supply, and where necessary start up the generating units within the system that are capable of independent startup and isolated grid operation, or dispatch external power sources, so as to restore the operation of the electric power system as soon as possible.
Article 15 — In restoring power grid operation and electric power supply, priority shall be given to ensuring the restoration of the auxiliary power supply of important power plants, important transmission and transformation equipment and the backbone grid of the electric power system, and priority shall be given to restoring electric power supply to important electricity users, important cities and key areas.
Article 16 — The competent energy department under the State Council shall, in accordance with the Emergency Response Law of the People’s Republic of China and the National Master Plan for Emergency Response to Emergencies, organize the formulation of the national emergency response plan for large-area power outage incidents and submit it to the State Council for approval.
Local people’s governments shall, in accordance with laws, administrative regulations and the national emergency response plan for large-area power outage incidents, organize the formulation of emergency response plans for large-area power outage incidents within their respective administrative regions.
Emergency response plans for large-area power outage incidents shall make specific provisions on the emergency organization and command system and its responsibilities, the various emergency response measures, and the emergency support for personnel, funds, materials, technology and communications.
Article 17 — Where an accident causes a large-area power outage, the competent energy department under the State Council and other relevant departments under the State Council, the relevant local people’s governments and their relevant departments, electric power enterprises and other grid-connected entities shall, in accordance with the emergency response plan for large-area power outage incidents and other provisions, initiate emergency response, establish emergency command institutions, restore power grid operation and electric power supply as soon as possible, and prevent the occurrence of various secondary disasters.
Article 18 — Where an accident causes a large-area power outage, local people’s governments and the relevant departments shall immediately organize and carry out the following emergency response work:
(1) strengthen the security and protection of key units in the power outage area that are vital to the national economy and people’s livelihood, national security and public safety, prevent acts that disrupt social order, and maintain social stability;
(2) promptly eliminate the various dangers and hazards arising from the power outage;
(3) where the accident causes major casualties or requires the emergency transfer and resettlement of trapped persons, promptly organize and implement the rescue, transfer and resettlement work;
(4) strengthen traffic command and regulation in the power outage area, and do a good job in railway and civil aviation transport and communications support; and
(5) organize the emergency production and allocation of emergency materials, and ensure the supply of materials needed for restoring power grid operation and of basic daily necessities for residents.
Article 19 — Where an accident causes the interruption of power supply to an important electricity user, the important electricity user shall promptly start up its self-provided emergency power source in accordance with the relevant technical requirements; where the startup of the self-provided emergency power source is ineffective, the power grid enterprise shall provide the necessary assistance and support.
Where an accident causes a power outage in places where people gather, such as subways, airports, high-rise buildings, shopping malls, theaters and stadiums, emergency lighting shall be promptly switched on and personnel shall be evacuated in an orderly manner.
Article 20 — The emergency command institution, the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions, uniformly, accurately and promptly release information on the scope of the impact of the accident, the progress of handling work, the estimated time for restoring power supply, and other matters.
Chapter IV — Accident Investigation and Handling
Article 21 — A particularly major accident shall be investigated by an accident investigation team organized by the State Council or a department authorized by the State Council.
A major accident shall be investigated by an accident investigation team organized by the competent energy department under the State Council.
A relatively major accident or a general accident shall be investigated by an accident investigation team organized by the dispatched energy regulatory institution. Where the competent energy department under the State Council considers it necessary, it may organize an accident investigation team to investigate a relatively major accident.
With respect to a general accident that does not cause a power outage to electricity users, the dispatched energy regulatory institution may also entrust the unit where the accident occurred to investigate and handle it.
Article 22 — Based on the specific circumstances of the accident, the accident investigation team shall be composed of personnel dispatched by the relevant people’s governments and their energy and emergency management departments, other departments with safety production supervision and administration duties, and fire rescue institutions, and shall invite personnel from public security organs, people’s procuratorates and other units to participate. The accident investigation team shall promptly report the accident to the supervisory organ and invite the supervisory organ to intervene in the accident investigation.
Based on the needs of the accident investigation work, the accident investigation team may engage relevant experts to assist in the investigation.
The leader of the accident investigation team shall be designated by the organ organizing the accident investigation team.
Article 23 — The accident investigation team shall carry out the accident investigation in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State and submit an accident investigation report to the organ organizing the accident investigation team within the following time limits:
(1) the investigation period for a particularly major accident or a major accident is 60 days; under special circumstances, it may be appropriately extended with the approval of the organ organizing the accident investigation team, but the extended period shall not exceed 60 days;
(2) the investigation period for a relatively major accident or a general accident is 45 days; under special circumstances, it may be appropriately extended with the approval of the organ organizing the accident investigation team, but the extended period shall not exceed 45 days.
The accident investigation period shall be calculated from the date on which the accident occurs.
Article 24 — An accident investigation report shall include the following particulars:
(1) the basic information on the units involved in the accident and the course of the occurrence and handling of the accident;
(2) the direct economic losses caused by the accident and the impact of the accident on power grid operation and the normal supply of electric power;
(3) the cause of the accident and the nature of the accident;
(4) the situation of accident emergency response and the restoration of electric power production and power grid operation;
(5) the determination of accident liability, the handling recommendations against the units responsible for the accident, the list of recommended public officials to be held accountable, and the handling recommendations against other responsible personnel; and
(6) accident prevention and rectification measures.
The accident investigation report shall be accompanied by the relevant evidentiary materials and technical analysis reports. Members of the accident investigation team shall sign the accident investigation report.
Article 25 — After the accident investigation report is approved upon reply by the organ organizing the accident investigation team, the accident investigation work shall be concluded; for a general accident the investigation of which is entrusted to the unit where the accident occurred, the accident investigation report shall be approved upon reply by the dispatched energy regulatory institution. The accident investigation report shall be made public to society in a timely manner in accordance with the law.
The relevant organs shall, in accordance with the law, impose penalties on the units responsible for the accident and the relevant responsible personnel, and impose sanctions on public officials responsible for the accident.
The unit responsible for the accident shall handle the personnel responsible for the accident within its own unit and promptly report the results of the handling to the organ organizing the accident investigation team.
Article 26 — The units responsible for the accident and the relevant personnel shall earnestly draw lessons from the accident, implement accident prevention and rectification measures, and prevent the recurrence of accidents.
The competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall, within one year after the accident investigation report is approved upon reply, organize an assessment of the implementation of accident prevention and rectification measures, and promptly make the assessment results public to society.
Chapter V — Legal Liability
Article 27 — Where the principal person in charge of the unit where the accident occurred commits any of the following acts, the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall impose on him or her a fine of not less than 60 percent and not more than 100 percent of his or her annual income of the preceding year; where he or she is a public official, sanctions shall also be imposed in accordance with the law; where a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated in accordance with the law:
(1) failing to immediately organize accident handling;
(2) delaying the reporting of the accident; or
(3) leaving his or her post without authorization during the accident investigation and handling period.
Article 28 — Where the unit where the accident occurred or its relevant personnel commits any of the following acts, the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall impose on the unit where the accident occurred a fine of not less than 1,000,000 yuan and not more than 5,000,000 yuan, and impose on the principal person in charge, the directly responsible persons in charge and other directly responsible persons a fine of not less than 60 percent and not more than 100 percent of their annual income of the preceding year; where they are public officials, sanctions shall also be imposed in accordance with the law; where the act constitutes a violation of public security administration, the public security organ shall impose a public security administration penalty in accordance with the law; where a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated in accordance with the law:
(1) falsely reporting or concealing the accident;
(2) fabricating or deliberately damaging the accident scene;
(3) transferring or concealing funds or property, or destroying relevant evidence or materials;
(4) refusing to accept investigation or refusing to provide relevant information or materials;
(5) committing perjury in the accident investigation or instigating others to commit perjury; or
(6) fleeing after the accident occurs.
Article 29 — The unit responsible for the accident shall be fined by the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) where a general accident occurs, a fine of not less than 300,000 yuan and not more than 1,000,000 yuan shall be imposed;
(2) where a relatively major accident occurs, a fine of not less than 1,000,000 yuan and not more than 2,000,000 yuan shall be imposed;
(3) where a major accident occurs, a fine of not less than 2,000,000 yuan and not more than 10,000,000 yuan shall be imposed; or
(4) where a particularly major accident occurs, a fine of not less than 10,000,000 yuan and not more than 20,000,000 yuan shall be imposed.
Where the circumstances of the accident are especially serious and its impact is especially adverse, the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution may impose on the unit responsible for the accident a fine of not less than 2 times and not more than 5 times the amount of the fine prescribed in the preceding paragraph.
Article 30 — Where the principal person in charge of the unit responsible for the accident fails to perform his or her safety production administration duties in accordance with the law, thereby causing the accident, the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall impose a fine in accordance with the following provisions; where he or she is a public official, sanctions shall also be imposed in accordance with the law; where a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated in accordance with the law:
(1) where a general accident occurs, a fine of 40 percent of his or her annual income of the preceding year shall be imposed;
(2) where a relatively major accident occurs, a fine of 60 percent of his or her annual income of the preceding year shall be imposed;
(3) where a major accident occurs, a fine of 80 percent of his or her annual income of the preceding year shall be imposed; or
(4) where a particularly major accident occurs, a fine of 100 percent of his or her annual income of the preceding year shall be imposed.
Where other persons in charge and safety production administrators of the unit responsible for the accident fail to perform their safety production administration duties in accordance with the law, thereby causing the accident, the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall impose on them a fine of not less than 20 percent and not more than 50 percent of their annual income of the preceding year.
Article 31 — Where the principal person in charge of the unit where the accident occurred is subject to dismissal or a heavier sanction, or to criminal punishment, in accordance with these Regulations, he or she shall not serve as the principal person in charge of any production and business operation unit within 5 years from the date on which the sanction is imposed or the date on which the execution of the punishment is completed.
Article 32 — Where the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution, the relevant local people’s government, or another department with safety production supervision and administration duties commits any of the following acts, sanctions shall be imposed on the responsible leading personnel and directly responsible persons in accordance with the law; where the responsible leading personnel and directly responsible persons constitute a crime, criminal liability shall be investigated in accordance with the law:
(1) failing to immediately organize accident handling;
(2) delaying, concealing or falsely reporting the accident;
(3) obstructing or interfering with the accident investigation work; or
(4) committing perjury in the accident investigation or instigating others to commit perjury.
Article 33 — Where the electric power dispatching institution commits any of the following acts, sanctions shall be imposed on the responsible leading personnel and directly responsible persons in accordance with the law; where the responsible leading personnel and directly responsible persons constitute a crime, criminal liability shall be investigated in accordance with the law:
(1) failing to carry out accident handling in a timely manner, thereby causing the accident to expand;
(2) failing to take timely measures to restore power supply;
(3) delaying, concealing or falsely reporting the accident; or
(4) failing to cooperate with the accident investigation, refusing to provide relevant information or materials, committing perjury or instigating others to commit perjury, or destroying relevant evidence or materials.
Article 34 — Where personnel participating in the accident investigation commit any of the following acts in the course of the accident investigation, sanctions shall be imposed in accordance with the law; where a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated in accordance with the law:
(1) being irresponsible in the accident investigation work, thereby causing major omissions in the accident investigation work; or
(2) shielding or protecting personnel responsible for the accident, or taking the opportunity to retaliate against them.
Chapter VI — Supplementary Provisions
Article 35 — Where an accident prescribed in these Regulations occurs and at the same time causes casualties or direct economic losses, and the accident level determined in accordance with these Regulations differs from the accident level determined in accordance with the Regulations on Reporting, Investigation and Handling of Work Safety Accidents, the accident level shall be determined as the higher level, and the accident shall be investigated and handled in accordance with these Regulations; where an accident causes casualties and constitutes a major accident or a particularly major accident prescribed in the Regulations on Reporting, Investigation and Handling of Work Safety Accidents, it shall be investigated and handled in accordance with the Regulations on Reporting, Investigation and Handling of Work Safety Accidents.
Where an accident occurs in the course of electric power production or power grid operation in which generating equipment or transmission and transformation equipment is damaged and direct economic losses are caused, but the safe and stable operation of the electric power system and the normal supply of electric power are not affected, the competent energy department under the State Council or the dispatched energy regulatory institution shall, in accordance with the Regulations on Reporting, Investigation and Handling of Work Safety Accidents, organize an accident investigation team to investigate and handle the major accident, relatively major accident or general accident.
Article 36 — With respect to matters concerning accident reporting, investigation and handling not provided for in these Regulations, the provisions of the Regulations on Reporting, Investigation and Handling of Work Safety Accidents and other relevant laws and administrative regulations shall apply.
Article 37 — The emergency response to and investigation and handling of nuclear accidents at nuclear power plants shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations on Emergency Administration of Nuclear Accidents at Nuclear Power Plants.
Article 38 — These Regulations shall come into force on January 1, 2027.
Annex: Classification Standards for Electric Power Safety Accidents (published as a schedule in the official text).
Disclaimer: This translation is provided for general informational and reference purposes only. It is an unofficial English rendering of the original Chinese text and is not a certified or legally binding translation. In the event of any discrepancy, the original Chinese text promulgated by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China shall prevail. For matters affecting legal rights or obligations, professional legal advice should be sought.
