Russia's '$10bn China power deal'

Factories are competing for China's energy supply

Chinese and Russian firms are planning to spend $10bn (£5.4bn) on building power plants in north east China, Beijing media says.

The plants, to be built on the border between the two countries in China's northeast, will help provide energy needed for China's economic boom.

The China Daily said that the sites would be fuelled by coal from Siberia.

China's State Grid Corp and Russia's Unified Energy systems are behind the project, the report said.

The plant is predicted to generate 60 billion kilowatt hours annually.

China's shopping centres and factories have been competing for energy supplies with blackouts occurring across the country.

"China's electricity demand will continue its fast growth in the coming years," said Bai Jianhua, an analyst at China's State Power Research Centre.