NBS: China's July power output hits record high on heatwave-driven demand

China's total power generation from all sources rose 3.1% on year in July to a record 926.7 billion kilowatt hours (kWh), according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data released on August 15.

The output also surged 16.4% from June's 796.3 billion kWh, fueled by a spike in electricity consumption as sweeping heatwaves across the country boosted air-conditioning use. The National Meteorological Administration reported that extreme heat pushed the power load of 19 provincial-level grids to record highs on 46 occasions in July.