A report published on Sep. 17 by Platts, the global energy analyst, notes figures that show fast-rising energy demand in China:
China consumed 510.3 billion kWh of electricity in August, up 6.8% year on year, according to data released by the National Energy Administration Saturday.
Of the monthly total, industrial electricity consumption accounted for 350.9 billion kWh, up 12.0% year on year. In July, industrial electricity consumption stood at 360.9 billion kWh, up 8.1% year on year.
The higher year-on-year growth rate in China’s industrial electricity consumption in August may signal a steady recovery in the country’s economy, leading to higher coal demand, a Shandong-based trader noted.
Over January-August, China consumed a total 3,500.3 billion kWh of electricity, up 6.8% year on year, NEA data showed. Of the total, industrial electricity consumption represented 2,522.2 billion kWh, up 6.2% year on year.
Over January-August, China’s coal-fired power units worked an average 3,323 hours, down 18 hours or 0.5% year on year; the working hours of hydropower units totaled 2,265 hours, down 114 hours or 4.8% year on year.
At the end of August, the combined design capacity of China’s power units — each with a design power generation capacity of at least 6 MW — rose 9.8% year on year to 1,155,760 MW. Of that, coal-fired power units comprised 838,690 MW, up 7.7% year on year; hydropower units accounted for 228,410 MW, up 12.1%; and nuclear power units represented 14,610 MW, up 16.7%.