中国的电力工业始于１８８２ 年， 至１９９９ 年已有１１７ 年的历史。在此百余年中， 中国电业之发展无不与当时的历史背景和时代特色紧密相连。１９４９ 年中华人民共和国的建立， 是中国电业发展史上的重大转折点。上溯６７ 年的旧中国电业史， 历经坎坷， 道路曲折， 步履蹒跚。至１９４９ 年， 全国发电设备容量仅为１８４８６万千瓦， 年发电量４３１０ 亿千瓦·时（ 统计数字不含台湾， 下同） ， 分别居当时世界第２１ 位和第２５ 位。１９４９ 年～１９９９ 年的５０ 年新中国电业史， 百事俱兴， 道路坦荡， 发展迅速， 虽然有波折和失误， 但年均增长速度仍列世界前茅。至１９９８ 年末全国发电设备容量为２７ 亿千瓦， 年发电量１１６７０ 亿千瓦·时， 均已跃居世界第二位。为了庆祝建国５０ 周年， 展现电力工业所取得的伟大成就， 从本期开始， 本刊将分四期陆续刊登 《新中国电力工业５０ 年》 一文， 从中可以看出新中国电力工业发展的光辉足迹 China’s electric power industry started in 1882 and has a history of 117 years since 1999. During this period of more than 100 years, the development of China’s electrical industry was all connected with the historical background and characteristics of the era at that time. The establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 was a major turning point in the history of China’s electricity industry. The history of the old Chinese electricity industry dating back 67 years has undergone rough roads and twists and turns. By 1949, the country’s capacity for power generation equipment was only 184,600,000 kilowatts, and annual power generation was 431 billion kilowatt-hours (statistics not including Taiwan, the same below), ranking 21st and 25th respectively in the world. The 50 years of the history of the new China’s electrical industry from 1949 to 1999 were buoyant, the road was magnanimous, and the development was rapid. Despite twists and turns and mistakes, the average annual growth rate was still among the highest in the world. By the end of 1998, the country’s capacity for power generation equipment was 270 million kilowatts, and its annual power generation capacity was 1,167 billion kilowatt-hours, which had already ranked second in the world. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and to demonstrate the great achievements of the power industry, we will publish the article “50 Years of New China Power Industry” in four installments. From this issue, we can see the brilliant footprint of the development of the power industry in New China.