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On August 3, 2026, three regional power grids under the State Grid Corporation of China—the North China, East China, and Northeast China grids—reached all-time highs in electricity load, driven by a persistent heatwave across the country.

Specific Load Records

According to the State Grid's official announcement, the load figures for the three regional grids were as follows:

  • North China Grid: Recorded a peak load of 306 million kW on August 3.
  • East China Grid: Reached a historic high of 454 million kW at 12:39 p.m. on August 3, a year-on-year increase of 2.9%.
  • Northeast China Grid: Set a new record of 90.69 million kW on August 4.

In addition to the regional grids, five provincial-level grids—the Hebei Southern Grid, Tianjin, Shandong, Anhui, and Liaoning—also hit record highs during the same period.

Contributing Factors

The surge in electricity demand was primarily driven by two factors. The most immediate cause was the widespread heatwave, which led to a sharp increase in air conditioning and cooling-related power usage. Beyond the weather, broader economic trends also played a significant role. Official data from the National Energy Administration (NEA) indicated that power consumption from high-end manufacturing, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and data centers grew rapidly, with the latter two both seeing over 40% year-on-year increases in power usage.

Response Measures

To manage the unprecedented demand, the State Grid implemented a series of measures. These included optimizing grid operation, strengthening coordination between power sources and storage, increasing cross-regional electricity transfers, and mobilizing energy storage resources across the grids. The company stated that it would continue to prioritize power supply security to ensure stable and reliable electricity delivery during the summer peak.