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在线翻译:
szdaily -> Business_Markets -> 
Nation braces for power crunch
    2018-07-20  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

THE world’s largest electricity producer is warning it may run short of power this summer.

Parts of China are at risk of shortages as the nation’s distribution networks struggle to cope with soaring temperatures and the fastest power consumption growth in seven years, regulators warned in recent weeks. Sustained economic growth has propped up demand, while the government’s clean-air drive is crimping efforts to boost coal output, stretching natural gas supply and increasing reliance on renewable power, which can be unpredictable.

“As China entered summer season, electricity demand for air conditioning and refrigeration has increased, leading to a rapid surge in daily power generation,” said Yan Pengcheng, a spokesman for the National Development & Reform Commission.

Power load, which has already hit close to last summer’s high, is expected to “continue rising significantly, and shortages may occur in some areas during peak periods,” he said.

The potential crunch echoes heating shortages parts of the country suffered last winter amid a campaign to switch coal boilers and heaters to natural gas. The environmental push has also hampered a ramp-up in coal supply, which power producers have called for to stave off a shortfall.

The tightness in coal has been exacerbated by some manufacturers boosting production before winter, when regulators tend to limit output to ease pollution, said Frank Yu, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie Ltd. Last winter, for instance, the government clamped down on industrial activity and imposed restrictions on steel mills and aluminum smelters, among others.

In the first half of the year, power demand from agriculture, manufacturing and service industries climbed 10 percent, 7.6 percent and nearly 15 percent, respectively, according to the China Electricity Council. Residential use rose 13 percent, it said last week.

The country’s total power consumption increased 9.4 percent between January and June, Yan said. That’s the highest since 2011, according to data from the National Energy Administration. (SD-Agencies)

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