Scorching temperatures across China have turned deadly, with hospitals reporting patients dying of heat stroke, as officials begin curtailing power to factories to ensure sufficient supply for air-conditioners.

The heatwave that’s affected 900 million people over the past month is intensifying, with 76 weather stations reporting record high temperatures on Wednesday that exceeded 42 degrees Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) in some places. Polyester and textile factories in Zhejiang province began receiving power rationing notices this week, according to the South China Morning Post.

China is not alone in facing extreme weather this summer, as climate change pushes the boundaries of what forecasters are used to planning for. Europe has been hit by droughts, which have significantly lowered levels of the river Rhine -- a key conduit for shipping commodities including coal and oil. Texas has also had to ask residents to conserve power to avoid blackouts.

It’s a sharp turn for China’s grid after heavy rain and pandemic lockdowns meant a cooler and slower start to the typical summer power demand season. Combined with record coal mining output, that’s kept inventories of the vital power plant fuel at relatively high levels, making it unlikely that there will be a repeat of the widespread power shortages the country faced last year.

Still, China will need to rely heavily on demand response measures such as temporarily cutting use at factories to keep grids balanced when temperatures peak throughout the summer, the state-owned Economic Daily said in a commentary.

Some temporary relief may be coming, with record temperatures in China’s eastern and southern coastal regions expected to ease from July 16 to July 18, Chen Tao, chief weather forecaster for the China Meteorological Administration, said on its official WeChat account.

Source:
courtesy of BLOOMBERG

by Bloomberg News

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]