industrial demand increased by 4.4%, residential demand surged 15.5% in 1st Q

The official China Electricity Council (CEC) said that demand grew by 7.0% on year in March to reach 416 TWh. By contrast, January demand fell 6.5% on year, because of the early occurrence of the lunar new year holiday. It then surged 22.9% on year in February, when consumption jumped both because of the timing of the holiday and the extra leap year day.

The March month figure means that Chinese electricity demand in the first quarter of 2012 was 6.8% higher on year at 1,165.5 TWh.

Within the total, the CEC said that industrial demand increased by about 4.4% on year to 857.5 TWh, commercial and other tertiary sector demand rose 13.0% to 139.8 TWh, and residential demand surged 15.5% on year to 168.3 TWh.