China's power use up 5.2 pct in Q1

BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, reached more than 2.51 trillion kilowatt-hours in the first quarter of 2026, up 5.2 percent year on year, according to data released Monday by the National Energy Administration.

A breakdown of the data shows robust growth across various sectors.

The primary industry saw a 7.1 percent increase in power consumption, bringing total consumption to 33.6 billion kilowatt-hours.

The secondary industry consumed about 1.6 trillion kilowatt-hours, up 4.7 percent from a year ago. Within this sector, the high-tech and equipment manufacturing industry posted particularly strong growth, with electricity consumption increasing 8.6 percent year on year.

The tertiary industry recorded 8.1 percent growth in power use, totaling 483.3 billion kilowatt-hours. Notably, the battery charging and swapping service sector consumed 37.6 billion kilowatt-hours, surging 53.8 percent, while the internet data service sector used 22.9 billion kilowatt-hours, up 44 percent.

In March alone, electricity consumption reached 859.5 billion kilowatt-hours, up 3.5 percent year on year.

China's economy grew 5 percent in the first quarter, outpacing expectations of some foreign institutions and reinforcing the country's role as a stabilizing force in an increasingly volatile global economy.