By the end of the month, a secretive government task force will launch a shake-up of the mainland's power industry which will have potentially powerful implications for Hong Kong.
Beijing will appoint chief executives to head between four and six regional generating companies to be divested from the State Power Corp (SPC), according to sources.
Making such appointments before the new firms were officially formed was a bold move aimed at ending divisive political bickering over the shake-up, industry observers said.
The chief executives would provide 'a constituency that wants to get the companies up and running', Hong Kong-based Deacons partner Richard Lawrence said.
The chief executives are expected to be in place before the State Council determines which assets go to each company. According to sources, the deadline for the industry carve-up is September. The new companies are slated to be fully operational by the end of the year.
The appointments 'will put more pressure to get things done', Mr Lawrence said.
