The electricity demand has already been surging since the start of April with summer yet to arrive. TPC commented recently that the public turning to domestic consumption under the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic has actuated a drastic growth in the domestic load that exceeded the anticipation of the company, and the power supply volume from April until now has experienced a YoY increase of almost 1 billion kW, as well as a YoY increase of 1 million kW during peak hours.
TPC pointed out that the load has been climbing since the end of March, where the peak load between March 29th and 31st had exceeded the power consumption during March in previous years, and the power supply volume in the first quarter this year had also experienced a YoY increase of more than 3%. Entering April, the power consumption has been ascending relentlessly, where the highest peak of 32.765MW on April 22nd is 2.78MW more than the 29.99MW in April last year. The power supply volume as of April 22nd has accumulated to 13.77 billion kw, which is an increase of almost 1 billion kW compared to the 12.79kW during the same period last year, with an increase of over 7%.
TPC further explained that the hydropower generation for the first quarter this year was at 560 million kW owing to the appalling water regimen, which is a YoY reduction of almost 16% compared to 670 million kW, and forces the company to not be too excessively optimistic towards the forecast on the hydropower generation for the second quarter.
TPC emphasizes that power consumption may continue to rise to new heights in the face of the imminent peak consumption season, and stresses that it has fully prepared accordingly by grasping on the status of power supply and striving to maintain a stable provision of power, including the comprehensive implementation of major repair or overhaul for various units, which comprises of the major repair of the No. 1 generator at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant during early April, as well as the extensive repair of the No. 6 gas-fired generator at the Talin Power Plant that will initiate on the 30th. TPC will follow closely on the progress in order to commence operation before the arrival of summer.
TPC accentuates that the company will also dispatch units that are excellent in status and efficiency to initiate power generation in the current phase to satisfy the electricity demand, as well as ensure that the operating reserve rate is maintained at above 10%, and a green light for the power supply signal. TPC also urges the public to conserve on the use of power.
TPC is also currently promoting national energy-saving. 2020 saw a conservation of almost 1.2 billion kW of power from residences, which although did not arrive at the 2 billion kW target and exceed 1.4 billion kW in 2019, there are over 4.24 million households that are responding to the cause, as commented by TPC, and that major electricity users in the industry are also encouraged to reduce on the use of power during peak hours through demand bidding measures.
(Cover photo source: pixabay)