It is safe to say that by the time Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary finishes her six-day visit to China on Friday, she will have burned as much electricity as the average Chinese person uses over several months.

China must add 100,000 megawatts of power-generating capacity by 2000 and invest approximately $100 billion to finance those projects, according to one expert. That rate of growth is comparable to building a new Grand Coulee Dam every 4 1/2 months. In addition, China is searching for oil and installing some coal pollution devices at big power plants.

China's shopping list includes coal-burning plants, liquefied natural gas terminals and gas-fired turbines, nuclear plants, oil exploration projects, natural gas pipelines, and upgraded oil refineries. At least a half-dozen major power plant projects involving American companies are awaiting approval by the State Planning Commission.