China’s energy consumption to grow in H2 as economy recovers, gas storage to double 2021 level by 2025 – official
China’s energy consumption to grow in H2 as economy recovers, gas storage to double 2021 level by 2025 – official

China’s energy consumption to grow in H2 as economy recovers, gas storage to double 2021 level by 2025 – official

 

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China’s energy consumption will continue to grow in the second half of the year as a series of policy measures to stabilize the economy kick in and the growth rate is expected to be faster than that in the first six months, said an official from the National Energy Administration (NEA) at a press briefing on Wednesday.

China’s power generators currently have sufficient coal inventories, which reached the highest level on record for the same period, said the NEA.

As the peak season for power consumption comes, China’s power load is expected to climb further, it said, adding that “the NEA will resolutely safeguard the bottomline of not letting blackouts happen again and ensuring people’s livelihood.”

In the first half of the year, a total of 70 million kW of power generation capacity was put into operation and since July last year till the end of June this year, a total of 180 million kW of power generation capacity was put into operation, said the NEA.

The country’s power load has been hitting record highs amid the heatwave sweeping across the country. Peak power load of China Southern Power Grid reached 223 million kW on Tuesday, local time, rising by 2.99% or by 6.46 million kW from the peak power load last year, hitting a new record high, said the power grid which covers five southern provinces – Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and Hainan. Read more …

Regarding domestic gas supply, Zhang Jianhua, head of the NEA, said that the work to fill China’s underground natural gas storage tanks have been proceeding well and China will fill the storage facilities as much as possible before the winter heating season.

“We will study the plan for construction of national gas storage facilities” and as of the end of 2025, the country’s natural gas storage capacity is expected to double the level seen in 2021 and the ability to ensure stable natural gas development and supply will be taken to the next level, said Zhang.

He added that China will continue to diversify the sources to ensure energy supply, strengthen storage capability and improve the system of energy production, supply, storage and sales.

China imported 250 million tonnes of crude oil, 74.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas,115 million tonnes of coal and 2.96 billion kWh of electric power, which played an active role in China’s efforts to ensure domestic energy supply, said Zhang.