Recently, gas prices have risen sharply across the country compared with previous years, and such adjustments have brought certain pressure to the daily lives of the general public to a certain extent. However, from a macro and long-term perspective, it is necessary to promote the adjustment of the linkage mechanism of natural gas prices, which can not only ensure the safe supply of energy, but more importantly, promote the rational allocation of resources in all links of the industrial chain, so as to protect people's livelihood.
According to interviews, at least 52 cities have adjusted residential gas prices this year, with an average increase of about 10%. At the same time, the National Development and Reform Commission issued a supplementary document, requiring all localities to complete a price adjustment by the end of June and establish a complete natural gas linkage mechanism by the end of September. In the coming period, residential gas prices in many parts of the mainland may be raised more than twice.
In the short term, price adjustments will undoubtedly impose a certain burden on individual households. However, from an economic point of view, this reform also has its market rationality. Over the past year, affected by the rise in international oil prices and long-term internal price imbalances, all links of the natural gas industry chain have gradually lost money. Especially in the middle and upper reaches of natural gas production enterprises, huge losses have become a pain point in the industry. In order to ensure the needs of people's livelihood, it is difficult for the downstream to adapt to the changes in upstream costs in a timely manner, which further increases the internal contradictions in the industry.
According to a recent study released by the International Energy Forum, the cost of natural gas pipeline transmission in mainland China has ranked among the highest in the world, reaching more than one megajoule, seriously lagging behind the United States and other developed countries. In the long run, it will affect the efficient exploitation and utilization of domestic natural gas resources. The state has promoted the adjustment of the linkage mechanism of residential gas prices this time, aiming to eliminate the price error signals between all links of the industrial chain and realize the optimal allocation of resources in each link. This will provide a solid institutional guarantee for energy security.
At the same time, the government has also taken certain "soft landing" measures in this adjustment. In most areas, the adjustment range is limited to between 5% and 15%, and subsidies are given to specific groups such as low-income households and rural areas. Relevant research reports show that more than 85% of ordinary families have an average annual increase of less than 200 yuan, and their living burden is limited. This also reflects the role of the state in promoting supply-side structural reform while ensuring people's livelihood.
In addition, in the long run, the unified price mechanism will help enterprises in all sectors to make long-term plans to better meet the growing energy demand. Once a stable industrial ecological chain is formed, the overall competitiveness of the industry will be enhanced. Compared with the short-term subtle impact, this is more important for the future supply security of people's livelihood energy.
Of course, government departments also need to pay attention to the differentiation of different regions and groups of people in follow-up work. For example, users in developed regions may be more affordable. More support is needed for remote areas and low-income groups. At the same time, a sound regulatory account system and a third-party evaluation mechanism should be established to truly achieve openness and transparency. Only through continuous improvement can we promote reform to benefit all strata of society to the greatest extent.
Overall, the country's promotion of the adjustment of the natural gas price linkage mechanism is an important measure to deepen the reform of the energy system. In the short term, individual groups may feel a slight burden, but in terms of supply security and long-term development, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. As long as we pay attention to people's livelihood and improve the details, this will help improve the level of energy security in the mainland and promote the development of the whole society to a high level. I believe that by working together, we will be able to maximize its advantages.
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