Electricity consumption in areas covered by 27 provincial-level power grids under China State Grid realized positive year-on-year growth in October, the first time this year, said the State Grid Corporation of China on its website on November 18.
Chinese economy continued to recover, with growth picking up 0.7% year on year in the first three quarters, the first positive growth this year in year-to-date GDP growth, said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on October 19.
Electricity consumption is regarded as a barometer of economic operation. The steady growth of electricity consumption reflects stable economic recovery and increased vitality in China.
Total electricity consumption in China over January-October increased 1.8% from the same period of the previous year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
In October, China's electricity consumption rose 6.6% year on year, with the primary industries, secondary industries, tertiary industries and households posting growth of 10.9%, 7.7%, 3.9% and 4% year on year respectively.
In particular, the year-on-year growth in power consumption of the primary industries exceeded 10% for the third consecutive month. The secondary industries' contribution to total electricity consumption reached 72.8%, with the cumulative growth at 0.4%, turning from negative to positive for the first time.
Electricity consumption of the tertiary industries maintained a steady growth in October, 0.5 percentage point higher than in September.
By region, the year-on-year consumption growth in North, Northeast, Northwest and Southwest China accelerated in October compared with September, of which growth rates in six provincial power grids of Sichuan, Hebei South, Shanxi, Hebei North, Henan and Anhui exceeded 10%.
From January to October, power consumption of the manufacturing industry saw double-digit growth for the first time this year, and growth of information transmission/software and information technology service industries exceeded 20% for 13 consecutive months.
Take Sichuan as an example. In October, the information transmission/software and information technology service industry in the province consumed 1,008 GWh of electricity, a jump of 208.41% year on year, the highest rate among the service industries.
During January-October, power generation of industrial enterprises increased 1.4% year on year, of which output in October rose 6.9% year on year, keeping flat from September, according to the NBS.
The industrial enterprises refer to those with annual main business income above 20 million yuan ($3.04 million)
The 6.9% growth is relatively fast this year and is 2.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year, said Fu Linghui on November 16, spokesperson of the NBS, noting China's economy has been recovering steadily.
In October, 102.8 TWh of electricity were traded among provinces covered by the State Grid, up 11.2% year on year, of which clean energy transactions reached 54.7 TWh, rising 15.7% year on year, accounting for 53.2% of total transactions.
In October, 34.2 TWh of electricity were transmitted through State Grid's 11 operating UHV DC power lines excluding Qinghai-Henan line, up 10.1% year on year, of which 18.9 TWh were clean energy, accounting for 55%.
The three UHV DCs - Fufeng, Jinsu and Binjin - have been maintaining full transmission for a long time, mainly delivering clean hydropower from Sichuan, the State Grid added.
The Energy Research Institute of State Grid forecasts China's economy will continue improving in November, and winter heating demand will boost electricity consumption.
China's electricity consumption is forecast to grow 6% in November and rise 2.5% for the entire 2020, the institute predicted.
(Writing by Shengnan Liu Editing by Harry Huo)
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