Sweltering Heat exposes power shortage in Chongqing ( 2003-08-02 11:01) (Xinhua) The power grid of southwest
China's Chongqing Municipality has been operating at full capacity for many
days, but is still unable to meet the high demand caused by sustained hot
weather.
According to sources with the municipal power supply company on Friday, the
grid had a demand of 4.28 million kilowatts at 9:33 p. m. Thursday, setting a
historical record. It was unable to supply a gap of anywhere from 100,000
kilowatts to 200,000 kilowatts, which had to be met by emergency aid from the
neighboring Sichuan power grid.
Under the sustained heavy load, power transmission routes in the downtown
areas have had repeated failures, including the blowout of fuses and electric
kilowatt-hour meters and breakdown of transformers.
To ease the power shortage, the municipal power supply company has signed
contracts to buy electricity from the power grids of east China's Jiangxi
province, southwestern Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, and the Central China
grid.
Owing to relentless sweltering weather, a power shortage has also been
reported in some other areas in China, including east China's Shanghai
municipality and Zhejiang province.
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