Higher electricity consumption generating economic momentum

Electricity consumption, one of the best indicators for economic activity, showed the Chinese economy is maintaining stable growth, especially through contributions from emerging sectors in the high-tech and service industries, industry insiders said.

The National Energy Administration said total electricity consumption in China totaled 553.4 billion kilowatt-hours in April, up 5.8 percent year-on-year. The growth rate in electricity consumption in sectors such as new energy vehicles, photovoltaic components manufacturing, and internet data services all exceeded 50 percent.

From January to April, total electricity used in China exceeded 2.23 trillion kWh, with a year-on-year increase of 5.6 percent, the China Electricity Council said.