Drought in China’s Sichuan provinces causes power rationing

• 1 year, 9 months ago (2022-08-18)
• David Flin

Asia 851 Hydropower 112

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A persistent drought in China’s Sichuan province has caused provincial authorities to order power cuts to homes, businesses, and factories. The drought is the result of the longest heatwave in China since records began in 1961.

Sichuan switched largely to hydropower seven years ago and relies on hydropower to generate 80 per cent of its electricity. The current drought has badly hit output.

Sichuan has ordered power rationing to homes, offices, and shopping malls. The province has also ordered local manufacturers of energy-intensive operations, such as Toyota, Foxconn, and Contemporary Amperex Technology to halt operations for the duration of the drought. Government offices were ordered to keep air conditioners above 26C and to not use lifts.

The city of Dazhou in northeast Sichuan has experienced widespread blackouts. State-owned Dazhou Electric Power Group, the local power company, said that the city would only receive intermittent supply for the duration of the drought.