The province is the world’s largest steel producer with 620 million tonnes a year. However, pollution and excessive energy use have set off alarm bells in the central government, which switched off supplies.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China’s central government gave the order to shut down operations at 18 steel mills in Wuan District, in the northern province of Hebei province, for up to one month because they do not meet state requirements for environmental protection and energy savings.

Beijing took the decision because of high local level of pollution and runaway energy consumption, the China Securities Journal reported.

Hebei province is the biggest steel production region in the mainland and the world's largest steel producer and is expected to produce up to 620 million tonnes of crude steel this year.

Wuan district had a total crude steel capacity of around 20 million tonnes per year by the end of last year.

The decision will not however affect the Hebei Steel Group, China’s top steel mill.

Earlier last week, around 20 per cent of electricity supply was cut at all steel mills in Wuan after local authorities were urged to meet the year-end energy savings target.

Several steel mills in Shanxi, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces have also been affected by cuts in electricity supply. In others, supplies have been entirely shut down.

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