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• More reliable modeling assumptions and methods are proposed. • Price regulation may increase industrial output in China. • The reform can lead to a cleaner power mix and better economic structure. • The reform can be of great help to alleviate the fiscal deficit. • Impact mechanisms through cost linkages in different situations are put forward. China promised to achieve carbon neutrality in 2060. However, electricity prices are still regulated, which may affect the effect of carbon neutrality, especially in China, because 70% of China's electricity comes from thermal power generation. In this paper, a dynamic recursive computable general equilibrium model (CEEEA/CGE model) is applied to simulate the electricity market-oriented reform under the target of carbon neutrality from 2020 to 2060. The results show that the target may increase the demand for labor and capital to cope with increasing energy costs, and the reform may reduce GDP. However, power reform can significantly optimize the energy and economic structures and alleviate the fiscal deficit. Moreover, this paper finds and concludes the mechanism causing these effects (such as factor substitution, price advantage, government revenue, and structure), which provides policymakers with a new perspective of power reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]