BEIJING—Power consumption surged in Chinese provinces north of the Yangtze river due to warmer-than-normal weather, with regions like Henan, China’s third-most populous province, being tested to meet record electricity demand.
The maximum power demand load in Henan, which has a population of nearly 100 million people, set a new record of 65.34 million kilowatts on Sunday, state television reported on Monday.
While the provincial grid was able to cope with the heavy demand, electricity supply in Henan is expected to be relatively difficult this summer, according to the report, with the maximum load seen rising further to nearly 75 million kilowatts.
As temperatures climb, demand for power rises as homes and businesses crank up air conditioning, peaking typically around the end of July and beginning of August in China….