China's Power Sector Keeps Steady Growth

BEIJING, August 9 (Xinhua) -- China maintained steady growth in electricity in the first half of this year by generating 567.4 billion kwh -- a 5.6 percent rise over the same period of last year, according to the China State Power Corporation (CSPC) today.

From January to June, the electricity sales income totaled 134. 8 billion yuan, representing a rise of 7.1 percent over the same 1998 period. Meanwhile, electricity sales profits in the same period topped 3.76 billion yuan.

China's demand for electricity keeps increasing as the country expands investment in infrastructure facilities, said a senior CSPC official. The country consumed 563.7 billion kwh in the January-June period, a rise of 5.9 percent over the same period of last year.

Meanwhile, the country's industrial sector consumed 5.8 percent more electricity, and the agricultural sector consumed 11 percent more electricity, as compared with the same period of last year.

According to the CSPC source, the country added generating capacity of 5.37 million kw in the first half of this year, and built additional electricity transmission lines totaling 3,071 km.

From January to June, the country invested 9.1 billion yuan in power grid construction and technical renovation projects, the source added.