Electricity restriction may become the last straw of a savage textile company

In the rain, the two young men sat behind the easy recruiting desk at the gate of O'Connell. They are the staff of Zhejiang Jelun costumes. “Our factory has 1,300 employees and is now restricted to electricity. The actual electricity usage per month is 280,000-250,000 degrees, and the township only gives a quota of 80,000 degrees. The rest depends on diesel power.” Responsible for recruitment The young man said, "Last week, our factory just bought 25 tons of diesel at one time, and buying more can be cheaper."

It was this sudden and huge demand that drove the price of diesel fuel near Yongjia County soaring. It just rose from 5.9 yuan/liter to 6.3 yuan/liter last week.

Zhou Dewen, a researcher at the Wenzhou Municipal Committee and a member of the Wenzhou Small and Medium Enterprise Development Promotion Association, pointed out that under the existing state of the already-poor SMEs, “power cuts may become the last straw to kill the camels. Continuing, Wenzhou will have 30. % of SMEs were forced to stop work and half stop work."

The cost of boosting diesel power

Deng Xueping, head of production management at Zhejiang Leisure Sunshine Footwear Co., Ltd., calculated a cost increase account for the author: Sunshine Shoes has a total of 4 floors. If there is normal use of electricity, the total electricity cost for 1 day will be around 1,000 yuan. After power cuts, the 1st, 2nd and 4th floors use grid power, and the 3rd floor workshop, which consumes a relatively large amount of electricity, uses diesel power to generate electricity. “A total of 7 hours a day will be used, from 8 to 11 am and then 1 to 4 pm. So you have to use a barrel of semi-diesel, diesel less than 500 pounds per barrel, asking price 1,300 yuan, that is to say, the cost of the first floor of the third floor of the building will increase by 2,000 yuan."

Deng Xueping Cheng Cheng, the cost increase of diesel power generation has not been so large that companies are overwhelmed. "But the production costs must have increased. Fortunately, companies have suffered little in the financial crisis and there is still some profit margin."

A migrant worker who has worked in the Bohai Sea for more than a decade has described the impact of power curtailment on workers.

“It was really shocking to hear about stopping 10 for 5 at the beginning,” she said. “The coastal working environment is not so good. Most of the workers are piece-rates. Equivalent to a worker who only works 10 days a month, if he only gives him 10 days to work in one month and calculates it according to the previous 1,800 yuan/month, the salary after power cut may be only 600 yuan/month. The problem is that workers spend their money when they are not in class. Which is enough for 20 days?
The worker also stated that her factory had just pushed a new $100,000 order last month. "If this continues, migrant workers can only go home early," she said.

The aforementioned person in charge of the recruitment of Zhejiang Jeh Lun's clothing also referred to the problem of worker reduction. “Wenzhou was already in a state of prolonged absence from work. It took us one day to sit and recruit four or five people. It was very good. The overtime wages of most workers will certainly be affected. In general, they will be paid 300 to 400 yuan less during the first month, and 800 yuan less for more."

"When foreign trade is not fully restored, it will encounter a wave of salary increase and changes in exchange rates. The pressure on power companies to increase power supply restrictions at this time may become the last straw of a camel." Zhou Dewen pointed out, "At that time, The employment and outflow of a large number of workers will become problems."

More serious pollution

The prevailing pollution from diesel power generation is directly opposite to the original intention of energy conservation and emission reduction. Even if power is limited, companies cannot stop production. Instead of workers, they have to continue their business operations and fulfill orders. Diesel power generation has become a last resort for self-help. Wen Lei, general manager of the Office of Energy Conservation and Emissions Reduction, and Director of Environmental Resources Department of Wenzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission, also expressed their understanding of this frustration.

Deng Xueping mentioned that it was unreasonable to mention the pollution caused by diesel power generation. “Everyone is generating electricity, such a big chimney, and then black smoke is emitted. Which is energy saving and emission reduction? It is completely polluting the air.”

"We all want to promote energy conservation and emission reduction. We will not cause waste and cause pollution. But now we have more pollution from diesel power generation. When electricity is not in use, such restrictions will actually cause negative effects," Deng said.

Ge Lei pointed out that, in fact, the data of diesel sales is also included in the consideration of energy conservation and emission reduction in Wenzhou. “Petrochemical companies cannot sell more diesel oil.” However, according to the author of this report, most of the diesel inflows into Wenzhou are unregulated channels. "In that case, we cannot monitor it," admitted Grey.

“These increased costs, the reduction of workers' income, and the increase in pollution have finally led to the achievement of an energy-saving emission reduction target.” During the interview, local Wenzhou businessmen, scholars, and officials expressed their helplessness.