Chinese provinces greenlight bigger power bills for factories

BEIJING -- As power shortages plague China, provincial governments are beginning to approve rate hikes for electricity, mostly centering on supplies to factories, a move that is likely to raise production costs.

The southern province of Guangdong, the nation's economic powerhouse, approved peak-time rate hikes of up to 25% for electricity transmitted from state-owned power companies to factories and other businesses, starting Friday. The hike does not apply to ordinary households.