China's Scorching Heat Poses Summer Test for Electricity Grid

A sizzling start to July is on the cards for China, where nationwide temperatures are poised to climb almost 3 deg C above historical averages in the first week of the month.

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BEIJING -

That will pile pressure on electricity supplies as people crank up their air conditioners; demand for which has nearly doubled in the past decade.

Swathes of eastern China, home to major population centers including Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou, will see temperatures of around 35 deg C to 39 deg C, with some places touching 40 deg C, according to a forecast from the China Meteorological Administration.

The region may face a "long-lasting high temperature war," the state weather bureau said last week.

Key rice-growing areas will also bake in the heat, threatening to damage the crop during a crucial development stage and risking lower output in one of the country's top-producing regions.