Sustainable and market-oriented solutions for the electricity sales market reform

China officially opened up the power sales market in 2015, and the power sales market has gradually changed from state control to market allocation of resources. However, is it compatible with sustainable green development? Using the progressive DID MODEL, this document quantifies the impact of electricity sales reform on regional green development. It uses panel data from 30 power reform pilots in China from 2009 to 2020. The findings show that China's electricity sales reform hinders the regional green economy. It is pronounced in areas with weak local government financial strength, inadequate financial development, insufficient information infrastructure and weak property rights protection. This research has broad policy implications. It provides insights for policymakers in China and potentially other developing countries seeking to carry out electricity sales market reform. It may also provide insights into the design and implementation of such reforms to ensure they align with green development goals.