China's power consumption growing

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The energy regulator says China's power consumption in July rose six-percent over the same month last year. Experts say the continued growth of industrial power consumption since April may be seen as a sign of economic recovery.

The National Energy Administration said on Friday that power consumption in July was 342 billion kilowatt hours more than the same month in 2008 -- an increase of six-percent. And it's 11 percent more than June. The NEA says in the first seven months, agricultural power consumption increased five-percent to 53 billion kilowatt hours. Consumption by companies in the service trade rose by 10 percent to 216 billion kilowatt hours. Experts say the increase in industrial power consumption since April is a positive economic sign.

Zhou Xian, Dept. director of National Energy Admin. of NDRC, said, "The increase of the power consumption is partially a result of high temperature in summer, however, more importantly,it shows that the industrial power consumption in China has been growing since April and it hit a record high in July since the beginning of the year."

In addition, the National Bureau of Statistics says power generation, another important measure of industrial activities, expanded almost five-percent in July from a year earlier. This is the second consecutive month that electricity generation in China has grown following eight consecutive months of decline beginning last October.