The alarming record broken by China as its population tries to keep cool this summer
Officials said demand topped 1.5 billion kilowatts on Wednesday, the highest ever recorded in the country. The spike came as feels-like temperatures in some areas were forecast to hit 50C on Thursday.
A stretch of heat from Chongqing in the southwest to coastal Guangzhou has affected more than 200 million people in recent days. Some of the worst-hit regions include the provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi and Guangdong – areas home to populations similar in size to Italy, Britain, Spain and Mexico respectively.
China's National Energy Administration said this was the third time this month that national electrical load had hit a record high. The latest figure marked a jump of 55 million kilowatts over last year's maximum.
The extreme temperatures have been driven by a subtropical high-pressure system, which traps heat and causes hot, dry weather. This week, eight weather stations across China's northwest and southwest recorded their highest-ever temperatures for this time of year, according to national weather authorities.
The grid is coping for now despite the surge in demand, experts say.
'The power system is holding up so far,' said Chim Lee, senior energy and climate change specialist at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
'But the real test will come as the summer wears on, and there are still risks of potential power rationing,' he added.
The heatwave is already impacting crops, disrupting factory operations and putting strain on healthcare systems. However, it has also boosted consumer spending, with air conditioner and fan sales surging by more than 100 per cent in June, according to Chinese retailer JD.com.
'It could improve consumer sentiment as it is helping sales of air conditioning, which is a big household appliance,' Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group in Singapore, told Reuters.
'The services sector can expect to get a boost, as people escape the heat by going to watch a movie,' he said.
The power surge has been supported by strong solar energy generation, which accounted for half the rise in power output in June. Hydropower also rose compared to 2023 levels, although it remained lower than the same period in 2022.
The heat comes during China's 'Sanfu' season – typically the hottest period of the year. Forecasters said the searing heat was expected to continue until 20 July.
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