China Southern Power Grid, one of the country's two major power grids, said its total electricity consumption across the five southern provinces of China exceeded 1.7 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2024, marking a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase.

This growth rate crossed the national average by 0.7 percentage points, setting a new three-year high in both consumption and growth, reflecting the resilience and vitality of the region's economic development, it said.

Manufacturing sector electricity demand is accelerating, highlighting the continued strength of the economy. In 2024, electricity use in manufacturing across the five provinces grew by 7.6 percent year-on-year, contributing 47.8 percent to the overall electricity consumption increase.

Electricity demand in high-tech and equipment manufacturing industries also showed positive growth, reflecting the ongoing results of high-quality development.

Notably, electricity consumption in the manufacturing of photovoltaic equipment and components, as well as wind energy equipment, rose by 24.8 percent and 50.9 percent, respectively, signaling a clear shift towards high-end and green industrial development.

Electricity consumption data also pointed to rapid growth in the new energy vehicle industry and the expansion of charging infrastructure, which drove a 45.9-percent increase in electricity demand for charging and battery swapping services in 2024. Furthermore, the rapid development of mobile internet, big data, and cloud computing spurred a 28.4-percent rise in electricity consumption related to internet services and related sectors in the region, it said.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn