China Environmental Law

Citing an “industry source,” Reuters reported on Wednesday that “December power output from plants connected to major grids fell to 275.99 billion kilowatt hours, 6.4 percent down on December 2007,”  the third monthly year-on-year decline.  The article motes that the 7 percent year-on-year fall in November “was the biggest drop for a non-holiday month on record.”

Here is Reuters’ chart which quantifies the same information shown in the graph which accompanied yesterday’s post:

Coal-fired generation actually fell more sharply than the total percentage drop as a result of new hydro generation coming on line at the end of 2008:

Output from thermal plants connected to major grids fell 9.1 percent [in December 2008] from a year earlier to 238.19 billion kilowatt hours, the source said, compared to a 14 percent fall in November.

In contrast to the sharp fall in thermal power generation, hydropower generation in December jumped 18.4 percent from a year ago to 32.16 billion kilowatt hours. China in December began fully operating Longtan, its third largest hydropower plant, after bringing on line all 26 mega hydropower generators at the Three Gorges Dam.

So what about 2008 power generation totals v. 2007 totals?  According to the Reuters’ article

China’s 2008 power output increased 5.18 percent to 3,433.4 billion kilowatt hours, the China Electricity Council (CEC) said earlier this week. The 2008 output data had included an ‘adjustment’ for the whole year, it said.

Huaneng Power (one of China’s Big 5 power producers) reported yesterday that its “total domestic power generation rose 6.3 percent to 184.63 billion kWh in 2008.”