POWER consumption surged in Chinese provinces north of the Yangtze River due to warmer-than-normal weather, with regions like Henan, China’s third-most populous province, being tested to meet record electricity demand.

The maximum power demand load in Henan, which has a population of nearly 100 million people, set a new record of 65.34 million kilowatts Sunday, domestic media reported Monday.

While the provincial grid was able to cope with the heavy demand, electricity supply in Henan is expected to be relatively difficult this summer, according to the reports, with the maximum load seen rising further to nearly 75 million kilowatts.

As temperatures climb, demand for power rises as homes and businesses crank up air conditioning, peaking typically around the end of July and beginning of August in China.

Temperatures in Henan’s capital Zhengzhou, where major Apple supplier Foxconn has a production hub, have reached 40 degrees Celsius in recent days.

In contrast to the heaviest rainfall in 60 years in southern China, Henan and nearby Shandong and parts of Hebei have battled with scorching heatwaves and drought-like conditions this month.

The high temperatures persisted through yesterday, with Henan, Hebei and Shandong still the core areas of the warm weather, China’s meteorological administration said.

“For this region, it is rare to see such persistence and intensity in high temperatures at this time in June,” it said.

Agricultural officials, concerned about crops in Henan, a major growing region with arable land equal to the size of Sri Lanka, visited the province Sunday to check on local supplies of water.

Land surface temperatures at 92 weather stations in Henan exceeded 60 degrees Celsius this month, with one registering 74.1 degrees, local media reported.

In Jiangsu, the maximum power demand load in China’s fourth-most populous province broke above 100 million kilowatts June 17 for the first time this summer, 19 days earlier than in 2021.

Prolonged periods of high temperatures could force China to limit, stagger or ration power consumption of industrial users during peak periods. (SD-Agencies)