China's electricity consumption surged to a record 10.37 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025, a staggering volume that is now more than double the total annual power usage of the United States.

An aerial drone photo taken on April 8, 2025 shows a view of the Hami-Chongqing ±800 kV ultra-high voltage direct current transmission project in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. (File photo: Xinhua)

According to a report released by the China Electricity Council (CEC) on Monday, the world’s second-largest economy solidified its position as the top global power consumer. China’s total consumption in 2025 now exceeds the combined power usage of the European Union, Russia, India, and Japan, it said.

China's total social electricity consumption for the year 2025 rose 5.0 percent year-on-year, and the council expects this momentum to accelerate in 2026, forecasting a growth rate between 5 percent and 6 percent.

The surge of power consumption last year is largely attributed to the rapid expansion of high-tech and equipment manufacturing, which saw electricity demand grow by 6.4 percent, leading the broader manufacturing sector as industries undergo structural upgrades and digital transformations, it said.

Driven by the massive rollout of electric vehicles (EVs), charging piles, and 5G infrastructure, power demand in the information technology and software services sector jumped 17.0 percent year-on-year.

Notably, the electricity consumed by the EV charging and battery-swapping service industry skyrocketed by 48.8 percent in 2025.