Shanghai, Guangdong adopt power rationing

Economic growth in Guangdong and Shanghai has outstripped power supplies, forcing them to ration electricity.

Guangdong's record for daily electricity consumption had been broken 13 times this month, the Guangzhou Daily reported yesterday.

Shortages had occurred in six major cities across the Pearl River Delta, despite Guangdong producing electricity at full capacity.

Daily electricity consumption in the province has reached a record 24.8 million kilowatts, up 23 per cent from last year's highest figure. The province is capable of a daily supply of 25 million kilowatts.

Shenzhen faced a shortage of 300,000 kilowatts, the newspaper said. The Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau has published a list of hundreds of companies that will have power cut for one day during a 10-day period starting on Saturday.

Electricity shortages had cut into the productivity of many small factories in Shenzhen because the government favoured large enterprises when rationing power, the report said. A factory in Nanshan district was fined 5,000 yuan (HK$4,800) for operating against the government's blackout order, it said.