Record Heatwave in Southern China Drives Power Demand to New Highs

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 28. Southern China is experiencing its highest temperatures of the year, with temperatures frequently exceeding 35°C and perceived temperatures surpassing 40°C. Due to the early arrival of the heatwave, the power load managed by China Southern Power Grid across five provinces has hit record highs for three consecutive days, breaking the seasonal pattern where peaks usually occur in June and July. Reports indicate that perceived temperatures in Guangzhou and Haikou exceeded 40°C, with Guangzhou reaching as high as 47°C. Even at night, temperatures remain around 30°C. The power load reached 272 million kilowatts last night, hitting peak levels more than a month earlier than in previous years. Guangdong became the first province in China to exceed 160 million kilowatts in power load. Experts attribute this to early air conditioning demand, full-capacity industrial production, and strong consumer demand.