China, US battle power crunch as mercury rises

China is facing its longest heatwave, forcing the authorities to curb the use of electricity amid spiking demand for air-conditioning. The heatwave has persisted for 66 days so far, beating the previous record of 62 days in 2013.

To maintain power supply for residential users, factories in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces are rationing electricity. Sichuan has been hit particularly hard as a drought had crippled hydropower production.

Over in the United States, California asked residents and businesses to conserve energy yesterday amid blistering heat.

Reducing energy could help stabilise the power grid and prevent blackouts. Much of California's Central Valley is under heat advisories, with a high of 39 deg C forecast for Sacramento yesterday.