Beijing Hits Peak Electricity Demand For 2007 As Steamy Heat Intensifies - China Daily

[hatrack]

Beijing's power supply network is groaning under the strain this week as more families and businesses are forced to switch on the air conditioners in the early summer heat. The city's peak electricity demand hit 10.51 million kilowatts at 3:50 p.m. on Friday, the highest so far this year, said sources with the Beijing Electric Power Corporation.

The figure is already close to last year's peak demand of 10.81 million kilowatts even though the city still has three months of searing heat to come. The company forecasts Beijing's maximum demand will hit 13 million kilowatts, up 20 percent on last year. Air conditioners alone will consume 4.9 million kilowatts of electricity, 38 percent of the total consumption, it said.

Beijing's electricity demand was around 8.4 million kilowatts before June 5 but has climbed sharply ever since as the temperature has hovered around a high of 36 degrees Celsius for the last five days. The municipal meteorological station said it saw no sign of immediate temperature drops.

Beijing Electric Power Corporation said the company was ready to cope with the growing demand for electricity and its network was stable enough for an uninterrupted supply of power. Yet the growing demand for electricity will almost certainly challenge Beijing's goal in reducing energy consumption and cutting emissions.

EDIT

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2008/2007-06/11/content_891384.htm

[GliderGuider]

1. Electricity demand up 20% in one year? Jesus.

No way can they build out infrastructure fast enough to cope with that. Wave goodbye to Chinese dreams of Demographic Transition...

[NewJeffCT]

2. They've had problems for a while

Shanghai has had to have rolling brownouts to deal with the massive demand... it's why they're building some many nuclear plants there.

[kestrel91316]

3. .....and it isn't even summer yet.....