Suzhou FUJI Precision Elevator Co.,Ltd , https://www.profuji.com
Bipolar "disadvantage" structure or will be improved
In recent days, it hasn't just been Shanghai that has experienced extreme heat. Across the country, a widespread high-temperature weather pattern has emerged, with southern China, Chongqing, and other regions recording temperatures exceeding 35°C. Opening the national high-temperature forecast map from the Central Meteorological Observatory reveals a striking number of high-temperature warnings across eastern and central regions.
This intense heat has significantly increased electricity demand. According to reports from the State Grid Corporation of China, since the start of summer in June, as temperatures have risen, the grid's operating load has steadily increased. On July 25, the State Grid’s electricity load reached 627 million kilowatts, while national power generation hit 16.67 billion kilowatt-hours—both record highs. Since the peak summer season began, there have been 76 instances of provincial-level grid load surges within the State Grid’s operating area. To manage this, the company has implemented scientific grid operation strategies, leveraging the advantages of large-scale grids, enhancing cross-provincial power trading, and enforcing orderly power management to maintain supply-demand balance and ensure stable grid operations.
In response to regional power shortages, some areas have initiated controlled power use plans during peak hours. For example, Zhejiang launched its B-level orderly power plan on July 25, avoiding 2 million kilowatts of peak demand while prioritizing household and essential customer electricity. Jiangsu saw its grid load reach 77.38 million kilowatts, with 700,000 kilowatts of peak load managed through controlled usage. In Shanghai, 1,091 households participated in the program, helping avoid 181,000 kilowatts of peak demand. These measures are carefully managed under government guidance to protect residential and critical infrastructure electricity needs, including hospitals, schools, and transportation systems.
Su Shengxin, Director of the Marketing Department at the State Grid Corporation, explained that since March, the company has proactively analyzed and predicted power supply and demand for the summer season, continuously adjusting and implementing orderly power plans. High-energy-consuming enterprises and those with excess capacity have been placed under control, reducing irrational electricity demand. Priority is given to protecting residential electricity. In 2013, 660,000 customers were involved in the orderly power scheme, with a total controllable load of 150 million kilowatts. Su emphasized that all participants in the program were verified by power supply staff to ensure no disruption to residential electricity use.
To support residents during the heatwave, power companies have also increased staffing and on-duty support. In Shanghai, 8,400 office buildings and commercial customers were included in the orderly power list, with air conditioners adjusted to reduce 600,000 kilowatts of load. In Beijing, 60 additional customer service representatives were added to the 95598 hotline to handle peak traffic. In Chongqing, maintenance teams were on standby to manage the negative control system, ensuring readiness to implement orderly power measures when needed.
While current power shortages may be manageable, long-term challenges remain. As economic growth recovers, industrial demand will rise, potentially leading to renewed power shortages. The power gaps in the State Grid’s operating regions in 2008, 2010, and 2011 were 23.51 million, 18.79 million, and 27.16 million kilowatts respectively. In 2011, prolonged power shortages affected multiple provinces, with over 68,000 companies participating in controlled power use.
Most of these power-deficient regions are economically developed, yet local power expansion is constrained by environmental and land-use factors. Some authorities have limited thermal power plant approvals due to pollution concerns, while the Yangtze River Delta region has reached saturation in power plant density. To address this, ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission projects are being developed to transport power from distant sources.
The ±800 kV Xiangjiaba-Shanghai UHVDC project, which completed its first full test in April, has already delivered 33.7 billion kWh of electricity, becoming a key energy source for Shanghai. The Jinping-South Jiangsu UHV project transfers 36 billion kWh annually to East China, equivalent to building six 1-million-kilowatt power plants at the receiving end. These projects help ease summer peak demands.
Looking ahead, the State Grid plans to expand its UHV network, aiming for a “five vertical and five horizontal†structure by 2020. This will optimize nationwide resource allocation and address regional imbalances. As Su Shengxin noted, while short-term demand-side management can help, the fundamental solution lies in building an efficient UHV grid to bring power from afar. With ongoing progress, UHV technology continues to deliver significant economic, environmental, and efficiency benefits.