(Photo: VCG)

With temperatures expected to remain below zero until April 1 in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, authorities have extended the central heating period beyond the March 31 cutoff to at least noon on April 2.

Northern Chinese cities have operated with a centrally controlled public heating system since the 1950s and the 2021-2022 heating period for Liaoning was scheduled to end March 31 until the provincial department of housing and urban-rural development issued a notice.

A department official said the extension had received positive responses from heating companies. In Shenyang, for example, more than 100 said they would fulfill their extra responsibilities to meet the later deadline.

“When we received the notice from the municipal government at noon on Tuesday, we immediately dispatched our enterprises to deploy the coal supply and labor arrangement for the extended heating period,” said Zhang Lixin, vice president of Lianmei Quantum Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group. “You can rest assured that we will stop supplying no earlier than 12 noon on April 2.”

The minimum temperature in most parts of Liaoning will remain below zero from March 30 to April 1, but will return to above zero on April 2, according to the weather bureau.

Liaoning Province authorities have also intervened to assure unimpeded coal transport and supply of heating materials.

(Compiled by Meng Gaohan)