By Wednesday noon, electricity in 45 of Sichuan's quake-affected counties had been virtually restored; however nine of the hardest-hit counties, including the epicenter Beichuan have only partial resumption of power.

The vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission Mu Hong made this announcement on Wednesday afternoon, adding that relief workers are still making their utmost effort to rebuild roads and resume telecom service as well as the water supply.

Complete destruction to the infrastructure occurred during the recent 8-magnitude earthquake.

After rebuilding the quake-shattered villages and townships, the official admits it will be a long and difficult task, but the initial phase is proceeding smoothly.

"We feel planning and preparation work will take about three months, followed by roughly three years of major reconstruction."

The official adds that a team of experts from various ministries will be appointed to oversee reconstruction. He stressed that the first priority in the rebuilding effort is the construction of urban and rural housing.

With regards to financial support, Mu Hong says that the central government will allocate adequate funds to make sure that reconstruction stays on schedule and meets quality standards.

"The central budget has earmarked 70 billion yuan this year for the reconstruction effort. And there will be additional funds for next year and the year after."

As of Wednesday, the death toll from the earthquake stood at more than 68, 000. A total of more than 19.5 billion yuan or about 3 billion US dollars has already reached the disaster area and is being used for urgent rescue and relief work.