Economic Observer reports:
In Hunan, most electricity is sourced from hydropower plants. Last year and over the first half of this year, the supply of water to power the hydro stations was ample, so most thermal power plants were operating in back up mode. This year, due to the high temperatures, thermal power plants have ramped up power production well ahead of schedule.
"For thermal power companies operating in Hunan, the months of July and August are the peak season for power generation, because these are the two months when the province's electricity consumption peaks and there is also less water to power the hydro stations," a senior staff member from the Hunan branch of China Datang Corporation told the EO.
Given the circumstances - a heat wave occurring right when power plants are operating at full capacity, it would be reasonable to assume that reports of power outages would once again be appearing in the press, but this year there has been a distinct lack of "power shortage" stories.
