China Rations Power After Snowfall

Heavy snowfall has led to power rationing to industrial users in central China and forced closure of airport in eastern Nanjing city, local media reported on Sunday. Central provinces of Hunan and Jiangxi reported record use of electricity as freezing weather led to a spike in power demand for heating, Reuters reported. Power use by energy-guzzling industries will be limited to prioritize residential use. Demand for natural gas rises by 100,000 cubic meters a day in Nanchang, capital city of Jiangxi, state radio cites a local gas distributor as saying. Power cuts hit 280,000 households in Jiangxi province and by Sunday afternoon relief workers had restored power to 90% of them, local television reported. China’s National Meteorological Center earlier on Sunday removed an orange alert for heavy snowy weather for central and eastern China; but renewed lower-grade blue alert for cold wave in provinces such as Gansu, Yunnan, Qinghai and Guizhou.