Power shortages continue to hit China in 2012

Edited and translated by People's Daily Online

Regional and seasonal power shortages will continue to hit China in 2012 despite slower demand growth. Stable supplies of thermal coal will be the key to ensuring stable power supplies this year, according to Wang Zhixuan, secretary-general of the China Electricity Council, at the 2012 Conference on Economy and Power Demand Analysis and Forecasting.

The China Electricity Council expects the country's total electricity consumption to reach 514 million kilowatt-hours in 2012, up nearly 10 percent from last year.

The electricity consumption of the primary industry will see slow but stable growth, and that of the secondary industry will grow slightly slower than the country's total consumption.

The electricity consumption of its tertiary industry as well as rural and urban household electricity consumption will witness relatively rapid growth.

Wang said that although China has made considerable progress in developing new ways to generate electricity, hydropower and thermal power remain crucial to ensuring stable power supplies. Thermal power will be the key to ensuring stable power supplies this year, as the country is likely to experience a severe lack of rainfall, especially during the summer, the peak season for power consumption.

Wang noted that China's thermal coal supplies will remain tight this year due to limited output and transportation capacity, which will cause regional and seasonal power shortages. More specifically, during the rainless period or peak periods for power use, certain regions will suffer power shortages.