The communist party’s graft buster announced Tuesday that executives at the country’s two power grid companies were found abusing their influence in exchange for bribes.State Grid Corporation and China Southern Power Company were probed from late March to May by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the party’s graft watchdog.The CCDI, which generally carries out two major inspections each year, said investigators found that the leaders of the two grid companies sought benefits for their relatives and had accepted cash, luxury gifts as well as shopping cards from employees of subsidiaries.The CCDI also said that both companies had violated party rules for promotions, with some leaders only promoting people with whom they had good ties.A source in the power industry said that State Grid employees have reported problems with promotions to the party’s graft fighter many times in recent years.Furthermore, the CCDI found that Southern Power Grid's anti-corruption officers had failed in their duties, indicating that the company should enhance the party committee's role in handling promotions.Several officials at the two companies and its subsidiaries are under investigation for "suspected serious violations of discipline," which is the party's preferred euphemism for graft.In March, the party punished the chief accountant of State Grid for being entertained by a subsidiary in Shanghai with company money.The company itself punished 12 other leaders in April for breaking party rules.For Caixin Online, this is Samuel Liu.
