Beijing’s public heating switched on

Public heating has already been switched on in residential compounds in certain areas in Beijing, with the expectation that it will be turned on city-wide by November 15, the Beijing Evening News reported.

The Beijing Heating Group, the city's largest heating supply company, has switched on the central heating for some areas in the city as part of a pilot-run to test new power plants, including a recently-built thermal station in the northwest of Beijing. The temperatures of homes will reach 18 C.

While prices for commercial heating increased from 42 yuan ($6.86) to 46 yuan per square meter, the local Beijing government has said that the prices for public heating will not be raised this year.