China's total power consumption exceeded 1 trillion kilowatt-hours for the second consecutive month in August,reaching 1.0154 trillion kilowatt-hours,up 5.0 percent year-on-year,data from the National Energy Administration showed on Tuesday.An expert said the figures provide strong evidence of China's robust growth momentum.
Industry insiders see power use as a barometer of economic activity,noting that shifts in consumption reflect emerging drivers and vitality in China's economy.Electricity demand offers a direct gauge of a country's dynamism and development trajectory.In July,total power use reached 1.02 trillion kilowatt-hours,the first time monthly consumption topped the 1 trillion kilowatt-hour mark.Power use in August extended this momentum.
From January to August,total electricity consumption reached 6.8788 trillion kilowatt-hours,a year-on-year increase of 4.6 percent,with power generation by large-scale industrial enterprises amounting to 6.4193 trillion kilowatt-hours.
"China's rising power consumption underscores steady economic growth and industrial upgrading.Demand for electricity has continued to expand in line with the broader economy,"Bian Yongzu,executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine,told the Global Times on Tuesday.
As the world's largest manufacturing nation,China's vast industrial base and factory operations require substantial power,Bian said.He noted the increase in consumption highlights sustained expansion in corporate output and market demand,consistent with the latest data showing economic growth at about 5 percent,stable profits in key sectors and a resilient trade performance.
By sector,electricity consumption in August stood at 16.4 billion kilowatt-hours for the primary industry,up 9.7 percent year-on-year;598.1 billion kilowatt-hours for the secondary industry,up 5.0 percent;204.6 billion kilowatt-hours for the tertiary industry,up 7.2 percent,and 196.3 billion kilowatt-hours for residential use,up 2.4 percent.
From January to August,primary industry consumption totaled 101.2 billion kilowatt-hours,up 10.6 percent year-on-year;secondary industry consumption reached 4.3386 trillion kilowatt-hours,up 3.1 percent;tertiary industry consumption hit 1.3297 trillion kilowatt-hours,up 7.7 percent,and residential consumption amounted to 1.1094 trillion kilowatt-hours,up 6.6 percent.
An industry insider noted from an industrial structure perspective,electricity use in the primary and tertiary sectors grew much faster than in the secondary sector,underscoring the rapid transformation of agriculture and services.
Notably,electricity is a pillar of rural revitalization and agricultural modernization.
Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period(2021-25),the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs(MOA),together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Finance,has focused on pressing production needs,benchmarked against international standards,and accelerated the development of domestic agricultural machinery and high-quality mechanization,LüXiutao,a MOA spokesperson,said at a press conference.
As of mid-July,the comprehensive mechanization rate for crop cultivation,planting and harvesting nationwide had exceeded 75 percent,with the rates for wheat,corn and rice surpassing 97 percent,91 percent and 88 percent respectively,Lu said.This means that full-process mechanization for China's staple grains has been largely realized.
Bian said that in recent years,industrialization and the growth of the new-energy and photovoltaic industries have brought advanced technologies into agriculture.Rural mechanization has expanded,with many machines shifting from fuel to electricity,while solar power has been widely adopted in irrigation and production.
Power consumption in China's secondary industry—which covers mining and manufacturing—delivered a solid performance,following the accelerated expansion of advanced manufacturing and further optimization of the industrial structure during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
China's manufacturing value-added output is estimated to have increased by more than 8 trillion yuan($1.13 trillion)during the 14th Five-Year Plan period,contributing more than 30 percent of global growth,according to official data,the Xinhua News Agency reported.
