07/15/2006, 00.00
CHINA
Send to a friend

Guangdong: power supply shortage forces government to cut services

The government has ordered consumers to cut electricity use by 50% during peak periods to avoid blackouts. The problem is becoming more acute across the country.

Guangzhou (AsiaNews/SCMP) – The Power Supply Bureau of the southern city of Guangzhou has ordered consumers to cut use of electricity in "peak periods" by 50% to avoid blackouts like those that recently deprived five municipal districts of power supply for several hours.

The order affects thousands of residences and offices and reflects the gravity of the energy problem of the province, which is China's most developed. For more than two years, the city has been struggling with a shortage of power supply: so far, the only measure taken has been to ration supply.

The main districts – housing the most important offices – have not been affected by blackouts but the government was forced to cut supplies to Tianhe, Yuexiu, Liwan, Baiyun and Haizhu districts from mid-morning on 13 July when the temperature was 37°.

The Bureau said all businesses, residents and factories would be affected equally if they were connected to the same transmission cable. "The main reason for the cut is that it was too hot. At 10am it was already 37 degrees. The high temperature put pressure on the network. To ensure safety and to prevent the network from breaking down, we were forced to stop supply," it said.

"If no urgent action is taken to expand and build new substations, the electricity supply problem will grow more critical." But the stations needed to solve the problem cannot be built: there is not enough space and for health reasons residents are against stations near residential areas.

TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
Bad weather snares 77 million Chinese, nearly 400 thousand homes destroyed
29/01/2008
EU, US companies sound alarm over Beijing's blackout crisis. Taiwan ready to take advantage
01/10/2021 13:28
Earthquake, January snow, coal price inflation: China faces energy shortage
23/05/2008
Record heatwave hits 50.8 degrees in Rajasthan, with casualties
03/06/2019 10:18
Heat wave leaves more than 60 dead in Japan
27/07/2010


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”