Cold weather affects power supplies

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 01-24-2008 08:54

Extremely cold weather is putting pressure on electricity supplies in many provinces. As demand for power increases, urgent measures are being taken to ensure households have enough power for their daily needs.

The unusually cold weather is increasing demand for electricity, but power grids have been partially damaged by the freezing rainy weather.

The unusually cold weather is increasing demand for electricity, but power grids have been partially damaged by the freezing rainy weather.

The ongoing bad weather has driven the daily electricity load up to nearly 18 million kilowatts in Shanghai, almost 6 million kilowatts more than the normal capacity. At the same time, support from neighboring cities has shrunk, as they face similar shortages.

Wang Wei, director of Dispatch CTR, Shanghai Electric Power, said, "Shanghai, and in fact the whole country, is lacking coal this January. Many electricity generators in neighboring Jiangsu Province have stopped running because of coal shortages. Meanwhile, power support from central China has dropped significantly because of a water shortage, especially at the Three Gorges Dam area."

Power authorities say that for every degree the temperature drops, demand for electricity increases by half a million kilowatts.

Workers are busy repairing damaged power grids, and priority is given to ensuring households across the country have adequate power. Big electricity users like chemical companies may be forced to suspend operations when demand for electricity peaks.

Editor:Zhang Ning