China’s electricity demand soars as heatwaves bake northern, central provinces
- Millions switch on air conditioners as high temperatures approach 40 degrees Celsius
- Meanwhile, heavy rainfall in southern region causes rivers to flood above warning levels
Several cities in Shandong, China’s second-most populous province, have issued “red alert” high temperature warnings, which have pushed up demand for air conditioning among the region’s more than 100 million people.
Chinese tech hub Shenzhen hit by worst drought since 1963
Temperatures in the regions were expected to hit above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) this week, according to the state weather forecaster.
Loads in adjacent Henan province reached a peak of 71.08 million kW on Monday, exceeding the previous day’s record of 65.34 million kW, according to state media.
Premier Li Keqiang, visiting a thermal power company in the northern province of Hebei, said China must increase coal production capacity to “resolutely prevent power outages”, according to a state media summary published late on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, 113 rivers in China flooded above warning levels, with seven above historical levels, state television quoted the water resources ministry as saying.
In Guangdong, the provincial emergency management department said heavy rainfall had affected 479,600 people, damaged crops and collapsed 1,729 houses, resulting in economic loss of 1.756 billion yuan, (US$261 million), state news agency Xinhua reported.
Residents in Yingde, a city in Guangdong where the flood warning had been upgraded to Level I, said on social media that water and power had been cut as the area flooded.
China has a four-tier alert system where Level I signals the most severe flooding.
China’s southern provinces raise alerts as flooding breaks records
“The water came very fast, and I believe many have not prepared foodstuff in their homes,” said a user on China’s Twitter-like microblog Weibo.
Stores ran out of staple foods like oil and rice as residents rushed to stockpile, a local resident told Reuters.
Yingde authorities have relocated some residents in the south of the city and advised others not to leave their homes.
In Jiangxi province, trapped villagers were rescued after floods washed away roads and bridges, state television reported.