CHINA'S power load hit a five-year record this year, according to the State Grid Corp.
Last weekend, power consumption in Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province, and some other eastern regions touched a record high. The Beijing power grid alone, reported a peak 12.03 million kilowatts at 2:38pm on July 4, its highest in history.
According to the SGC monthly report, the SGC's power plants nationwide generated a total of 10.98 billion kilowatt-hours on July 4, 10.66 billion kwh on July 5, and 10.48 billion kwh on July 6.
The SGC's 541 power plants had a total power coal reserve of 34.64 million tons by July 6. These reserves could ensure a normal power supply for 11 or 12 days.
Coal reserves in 181 of the SGC's 541 generating plants were below the seven-day alarm level, and 64 of them were below the three-day level, affecting a capacity of 142 million kilowatts.
A total of 58 generating sets in the country's northern and eastern areas temporarily halted operations because of a shortage of power station coal.
The Ministry of Railways earlier urged railway departments at all levels to ensure power station coal transportation. Beijing, Tianjin, Hunan, Hubei, and Anhui were the priority areas.
An increase in power station coal prices will have a detrimental effect on power supplies as it will add tens of millions of yuan to the operating costs of domestic power plants, said market analysts.