On March 23, Jiutai Energy Group starts to construct a 600 000 t/a methanol to olefin (MTO) project at Dalu Coal Chemical Base in Jungar, Erdos, Inner Mongolia region. The group has already operated a 1 million t/a methanol production plant at this base. To run the MTO project, the group needs to buy methanol from adjacent suppliers. Total investment is planned to be around RMB8.28 billion. The MTO project is scheduled for startup in 2014, being capable of producing polypropylene and polyethylene both 300 000 t/a. At the same day, Jiutai's Shandong branch started to renovate the existing 600 000 t/a methanol production project.