China takes steps to ensure sufficient power supply amid surging demand: official

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- China has taken steps to ensure an adequate power supply to meet the growing demand for electricity during the summer, an official said Tuesday.

Since the beginning of this summer, the demand for power has been increasing constantly, driven by the persistent high temperatures and quickened economic recovery, Jin Xiandong, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a news conference.

From Aug. 1 to 14, the average daily coal consumption of monitored power plants stood at 8.16 million tonnes, an increase of 15 percent from one year earlier. The daily coal consumption reached an all-time high of 8.49 million tonnes on Aug. 3.

China has worked to elevate its coal production in face of the sharp rise in power demands, with the average coal output at 12.4 million tonnes each day since July, a relatively high level, according to the commission.

The agency vowed to expand the advanced coal production capacity and promote the implementation of mid-term and long-term contracts in a bid to secure sufficient power and electricity supply.