China's electricity consumption has once again set a new record. According to data recently released by the National Energy Administration, total power use in July reached 1.0226 trillion kilowatt-hours, up 8.6 percent year-on-year. This marks the first time monthly electricity consumption in China has exceeded one trillion kilowatt-hours, a milestone that is also the first of its kind globally.
But what exactly does "one trillion kilowatt-hours" mean? In comparison, it is roughly equivalent to Japan's entire annual electricity consumption. From a historical perspective, it is about double China’s electricity use in July 2015.
Electricity consumption is often described as a barometer of economic activity. While soaring summer temperatures drove up household demand for air conditioning, the record-breaking figure also reflects strong momentum from both production and consumption across the economy.
Production in full swing
This photo taken on July 28, 2025 shows a view of China Changan Automobile Group's digital and intelligent factory for the new energy vehicle AVATR in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Photo: Xinhua)
In Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang Province, one new energy vehicle plant produced more than 450 cars per day in July, with orders already surpassing its previous annual production target. Local power data show that electricity consumption in the auto sector rose 10 percent year-on-year. Emerging industries such as integrated circuits and smart equipment manufacturing are also booming, while the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and soaring computing demand have added further momentum. These new quality productive forces are becoming a key driver of electricity demand.
Consumption on the rise
In Jiangsu Province, sporting events like the Jiangsu Football City League, also known as the "Su Super League," drew crowds of more than 60,000 spectators per game, fueling a 23 percent year-on-year increase in electricity use at fitness and leisure venues. Restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions also saw strong growth: catering electricity consumption rose 10.1 percent, tourism sites 10.3 percent and lodging 5.3 percent. Grassroots football and basketball tournaments are spurring broader consumption, driving electricity demand across related sectors.
Green transformation
As new energy vehicles (NEVs) become increasingly common, charging demand has surged. By the end of July, China had 16.7 million charging facilities, up 53 percent year-on-year. The annual charging load is expected to rival the entire annual output of the Three Gorges Dam. From the strong performance of the "new three" industries - NEVs, lithium batteries, and solar panels - to the expansion of green materials and zero-carbon industrial parks, green productivity is generating new drivers of economic growth.
A farmer works amid photovoltaic panels at a solar power station in the Yi-Hui-Miao Autonomous County of Weining, southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 3, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)
From factory assembly lines running at full tilt to data centers humming with activity and night markets buzzing with crowds, this electricity milestone reflects the vitality of China's high-quality growth. But it also brings new challenges: by August 21, maximum load in State Grid's operating area had reached six new highs this summer, with six regional grids simultaneously hitting record peaks, the first time this has happened in eight years.
Despite these pressures, China has maintained a stable and orderly power supply without resorting to rolling blackouts. Where does this confidence come from?
Abundant supply
Coal- and gas-fired plants continue to guarantee supply during peak season, while hydropower, wind, and solar are being expanded as clean energy sources. Pumped storage and new energy storage systems further enhance flexibility. By the end of July, total installed generation capacity reached 3.67 billion kilowatts, up 18.2 percent year-on-year, equivalent to more than 160 Three Gorges Dams.
Crucially, the share of green energy continues to rise: renewable generation in the first half of 2025 grew 15.6 percent year-on-year, accounting for nearly 40 percent of total power generation, more than the combined consumption of China's entire tertiary sector and all residential households.
Strong grid
Power must not only be generated but also transmitted. Leveraging the nationwide grid, resources are dispatched efficiently across regions. Ahead of the summer peak, several cross-provincial transmission lines, including Longdong-Shandong and Hami-Chongqing, were put into operation. On some days, the Hami-Chongqing line alone delivered the equivalent of one-fifth of Chongqing's daily electricity demand. By capitalizing on east-west time differences and north-south climate variations, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's afternoon solar power lights up Beijing at night, while hydropower from the southwest illuminates homes in East China.
This photo taken on July 5, 2025 shows power lines of the Changji-Guquan ±1100 kV ultra-high voltage direct current power transmission project in the Kazak Autonomous County of Mori, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Xinjiang is a key sending hub in China's west-to-east power transmission program. (Photo: Xinhua)
Flexible response
Provinces have also adopted innovative measures to balance supply and demand. Anhui Province has introduced a household power-saving program, where families receive bill credits for reducing electricity use during designated hours. In Sichuan, "residential virtual power plants" have been rolled out, allowing electric vehicle owners to feed power back into the grid at peak times in exchange for free charging benefits.
In 1949, China's total power generation was just 4.3 billion kilowatt-hours. By 2024, it had surpassed 10 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for roughly one-third of global output. Today's resilient, greener power system not only lights up better lives but also reflects the surging momentum of the Chinese economy.
When will the next record be broken? Let's wait and see.