BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, is expected to increase about 6 percent year on year in the second half of this year, an association predicted.
By the end of 2021, the country's installed power generation capacity is forecast to reach 2.37 billion kilowatts, with a yearly increase of about 7.7 percent, according to a report released by the China Electricity Council (CEC), a national association joined by China's power enterprises and institutions.
In the first half, China's power industry provided a solid power supply guarantee for the country's economic and social development amid rapid growth in electricity consumption, the CEC said.
In particular, the power-use growth from high-tech and equipment manufacturing was significantly higher than the manufacturing sector's average level, indicating a robust expansion of new growth drivers in the sector.
China saw an overall balance of power supply and demand from January to June, the CEC said, adding that the country's installed energy capacity sustained the momentum of green and low-carbon transition. Enditem