interesting item - china power cuts

Shanghai officials sound alarm over power cuts
SHANGHAI - Officials in China's commercial hub of Shanghai warn that looming summer power shortages pose a 'bottleneck for the city's rapid development', reports said on Monday.

Shanghai has encouraged factories to suspend production during peak hours for electricity demand and send workers home when the mercury hits 35 deg C. Offices and shopping centres have been told to cut back on air conditioning, escalators, and lighting.


Officials warned the shortfalls could slow torrid economic growth and harm Shanghai's competitiveness, newspapers and the city government's website said.

Shanghai vice-mayor Hu Yanzhao was quoted as saying at a rally on Sunday: 'Insufficient energy supply and power shortages have become a bottleneck for the city's rapid development.'

Efficient energy use is key to 'enhancing the city's industries' international competitiveness', he said.

According to the city government's website, Shanghai forecasts a 10 per cent to 15 per cent rise in demand for electricity that will leave it short of 4 million kilowatts between June and September. That estimate was up sharply from previous figures of a 2.2 million kilowatt shortfall.

On top of existing measures, Shanghai will also halt preferential electricity prices for calcium carbide and ferro-alloy producers to encourage them to save power, the site said.

Government offices, commercial outlets, office buildings and entertainment venues have been told to set their air conditioning at no lower than 26 deg C, it said.

Power-saving measures have already been felt in industry, although it isn't clear what ultimate effect that might have on economic output.

Thousands of companies have already shifted production to nights and weekends to avoid the peak demand hours of 9 to 11 am, 1 to 3 pm and 7 to 9 pm Offices have been told they could be forced to cut power use by 20 per cent with just five minutes warning.

Scheduled power cuts have grown common across much of southern China in recent months as the national grid struggles to meet the booming economy's massive demand for electricity. Over the winter, electric heating was cut at shopping malls and some homes, and factories were told to reduce production to no more than six days a week. -- AP