BEIJING — State Grid Corporation of China, the power supplier of over 1.1 billion people in China, has vowed to secure power use to combat the viral pneumonia outbreak.

The company said in a statement on Jan 27 it will advance the construction of power supply facilities at 17 new or reconstructed hospitals, investigate hidden troubles of power facilities at 114 designated medical institutions and 554 fever clinics in Hubei province.

Efforts will also be made to guarantee the power use of hotels accommodating medical workers, as well as key enterprises researching and developing medicines as well as producing, purchasing and selling medical equipment, the company said.

The firm also aims at securing civil power use, promising not to cut off electricity supply to households due to arrears during the period of epidemic prevention and control.

The company donated 50 million yuan (about $7.26 million) in cash to Hubei province as well as assets worth 60.28 million yuan for power facility construction at two makeshift hospitals in Wuhan.