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China's southwest extends power curbs as heatwave continues

Power rationing that forced factories in China’s southwest to shut down has been extended due to low water at hydroelectric dams.

Reuters

State weather forecasters issued a heat "red alert" for the 11th consecutive day, as extreme weather continues to play havoc with power supplies and damage crops.

China's scorched southwestern regions have extended curbs on power consumption as they deal with dwindling hydropower output and surging household electricity demand during a long drought and heatwave.

State weather forecasters issued a heat "red alert" for the 11th consecutive day on Monday, as extreme weather continues to play havoc with power supplies and damage crops.

They also raised the national drought alert to "orange" - the second-highest level.

The drought has already "severely affected" mid-season rice and summer corn in some southern regions, the ministry of agriculture said on Sunday.

The National Meteorological Center said as many as 62 weather stations, from Sichuan in the southwest to Fujian on the southeastern coast, recorded record temperatures. The situation could improve starting Wednesday as a cold front moves into China via Xinjiang.

The region of Chongqing, which hit temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius late last week, announced that opening hours at more than 500 malls and other commercial venues would be shortened starting Monday to ease power demand.

Two malls on the list contacted by Reuters news agency confirmed that they had received the government notice and would abide by the new opening hours. Two hotels on the list said they were still operating normally but were restricting air conditioner use.

Further measures

In neighbouring Sichuan province, a major hydropower generator, authorities also extended existing curbs on industrial power consumers until August 25, financial news service Caixin said on Sunday. Power generation in Sichuan is at just half the normal level.

It cited firms in the battery industry as saying that industrial power users in the cities of Yibin and Suining had been told to remain closed until Thursday.

A Sichuan-based pesticide producer, Lier Chemical Co Ltd , confirmed in a notice on Monday that output restrictions at two of its production bases in the province would continue until August 25th.

Toyota Motor Corp gradually resumed operations at its Sichuan plant in China on Monday using a power generator after suspending operations last week, the company's spokesperson said.

Other regions have also sent 50 emergency power generating vehicles to Sichuan since last Thursday to help alleviate shortages.

Several plants in Sichuan and Chongqing, including those of top battery maker CATL and the electric vehicle giant BYD, have been only able to partially operate in recent weeks because of power shortages.

SOURCE: Reuters