China Sizzles Under Record Heat: Power Supply Crisis Looms

China issued a stern warning on Wednesday regarding potential power supply disruptions amidst a record-breaking heatwave affecting vast areas of the country. The scorching temperatures have pushed power demand beyond 1.5 billion kilowatts, a new high for China this month.

According to weather official Chen Hui, this extreme weather is expected to impact power generation, particularly hindering hydropower and photovoltaic efficiency. To mitigate these effects, authorities have planned alerts for electricity suppliers to facilitate peak shaving and cross-regional power dispatching.

Meanwhile, construction has commenced on the world's largest hydropower dam in Tibet, a project expected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours annually, equivalent to Britain's power consumption last year. While this project aims to address rising energy demand, it has raised concerns among downstream neighbors India and Bangladesh.

(With inputs from agencies.)