BEIJING - Industrial and oil refining cities in southern China are urging businesses and citizens to curb electricity consumption while Hainan province called for less power usage at peak times, as grids become more stressed due to persistent searing hot weather.
Southern China has been beleaguered by a combination of sizzling hot temperatures and heavy rainfalls in recent weeks, with power loads in several cities approaching historic highs due to soaring demand for air-conditioning.
The growth rate of power consumption in Maoming city in southern Guangdong province was as high as 8 per cent in the January to May period, and its residential electricity use increased by 27.4 per cent in May from 2022, the city government said in a statement on Monday.
The oil refinery city, whose power load broke records three times as at Monday, asked industrial companies to actively reduce consumption and strengthen electricity-saving technology transformation.
It also suggested that state-owned companies, residents and commercial venues set cooling temperatures to no less than 26 deg C, according to the statement.
Jiangmen, another industrial city in Guangdong, is also proposing to cut unnecessary power usage amid the consumption peak.
Meanwhile, in Hainan province, government officials released a plan calling for less power consumption during peak times as usage increases in coming weeks. Officials said that from January to April, electricity consumption rose by 11.8 per cent year on year.
The power load in Hainan also climbed above 7 million kilowatts (kW) for the first time in early June.
Also earlier in June, the power load in key manufacturing hubs in the south including Guangdong rose to historic highs. China Southern Power Grid, one of the country’s two grid operators, saw output hit 222 million kW, approaching record highs.
China was hit by a record-breaking heatwave and drought in 2022, with large-scale power shortages that prompted regions such as Yunan to ration usage for aluminium producers.
In the coming days, China’s northern regions are expected to see sweltering weather, state media reported the meteorological authority as saying. REUTERS
