China has issued warnings on potential power supply disruptions as the country grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, driving electricity demand to historic highs and straining the energy infrastructure.
Last week, power consumption surged past 1.5 billion kilowatts for the first time, marking the third consecutive record this month, according to energy officials. The surge in demand coincides with China’s first-ever nationwide alert on heat-related health risks.
“High-temperature weather will … have an impact on power generation and supply,” Chen Hui, an official with the China Meteorological Administration, said at a press conference. He explained that the extreme heat was not only boosting demand but also undermining power generation capacity—especially hydropower and solar.
“It will hit hydropower output and reduce the efficiency of photovoltaic generation,” Chen added.
To manage the crisis, authorities plan to issue alerts to electricity suppliers when measures such as peak shaving and cross-regional dispatching are needed, Chen said.
The scorching temperatures have prompted health warnings, particularly for the elderly. Officials have urged seniors to stay indoors and advised outdoor workers to limit physical activity during so-called “sauna days.”
Jia Xiaolong, deputy director of the National Climate Centre, highlighted the severity of the heatwave, saying, “Since mid-March, the number of days when temperatures hit 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) or more is the highest on record.”
In the past two weeks alone, temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) blanketed approximately 407,000 square kilometers—an area larger than Germany or Japan. Jia reported that roughly one in 10 of China’s weather observatories recorded temperatures above 40°C, with one station in Xinjiang hitting a scorching 48.7°C.
Regions most affected include Henan and Hubei in central China, Shandong in the east, Sichuan in the southwest, and Shaanxi and Xinjiang in the northwest. The national average temperature for this period is now the second-highest on record.
Jia cautioned that more extreme temperatures could be ahead: “We cannot rule out the chance of more record-breaking heat. August could prove as warm as, or even hotter than, in recent years.”
Amid these climate challenges, China over the weekend announced the beginning of construction on what will be the world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet. With an estimated cost of at least \$170 billion, the project is expected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—roughly equivalent to the United Kingdom’s total electricity consumption in 2024.
While the ambitious infrastructure project has excited investors, it has raised concerns among downstream neighbors, including India and Bangladesh, over potential environmental and geopolitical impacts.
Boluwatife Enome
Follow us on:
