-- Chinese power stocks, led by Huaneng Power International Inc., a unit of the nation's largest electricity producer, rose in Shanghai trading as an imminent tariff increase boosts the industry's earnings outlook.

Huaneng Power gained as much as 10 percent, the daily limit, to 8.79 yuan and traded at 8.59 yuan as of 10.11 a.m. Huadian Power International Corp., a unit of the country's fourth- biggest electricity producer, surged 6.8 percent to 5 yuan.

China will increase electricity prices by an average 0.025 yuan a kilowatt-hour, or 4.7 percent, on July 1 and cap prices of coal burned in power stations until the end of this year, the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner, said yesterday.

``The government now chooses to ensure stable power supply during the Olympics and could deliver another hike after the Olympics,'' Franklin Chow, an analyst at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., said in a report today.

Chinese electricity producers are losing money as rising coal prices and government-capped tariffs erode earnings. The government is studying policy measures to help power companies, Li Rongrong, director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, said last month.

Thermal-coal prices at Australia's Newcastle port, a benchmark for Asia, jumped to a record $160.23 a metric ton in the week ended June 13 on supply curbs and rising demand, according to the globalCOAL NEWC Index.

Three other state-run power producers rose today. Datang International Power Generation Co. surged 8.8 percent to 10.61 yuan in Shanghai and gained 5 percent to HK$5.90 in Hong Kong. GD Power Development Co. advanced 7.3 percent to 6.8 yuan in Shanghai. China Power International Development Ltd. climbed 1.5 percent to HK$2.70 in Hong Kong.