This summer, extreme heat has swept across much of the globe. In China, 58 national meteorological observation stations recorded consecutive days of maximum temperatures exceeding 40°C, and power grids in 23 provinces collectively set new historical peak load records 59 times. The nation is now observing new changes in how the Chinese economy and society manages energy supply and demand during the peak summer season.
National Energy Administration data shows that as of August 6, the maximum daily electricity load since the start of summer has exceeded the 2025 peak value for a total of 11 days. The highest load peak reached 15.53 billion kilowatts, an increase of approximately 45 million kilowatts compared to the same period last year. This week, the load has remained above 1.5 billion kilowatts for four consecutive days. In response, regions across the country are employing new technologies and methods to ensure stable power production and supply, firmly securing the bottom line of electricity consumption for people's livelihoods.
Chongqing: The "Furnace City" Finds Its Cool
Chongqing, traditionally known as one of China's "furnace cities," has a naturally high summer electricity demand. This year, the city faced continuous high temperatures, with its grid load hitting new historical records three times. However, reporters observed that power dispatch personnel, who were once "on high alert" during load surges, are now notably calmer. This newfound composure comes from a diversified power supply. Since the start of summer, Chongqing has experienced 25 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 35°C. The concentrated use of air conditioning has directly driven up the grid load. The peak load reached 31.4 million kilowatts, an increase of 1.12 million kilowatts from last year's peak. Shuai Hong, Deputy Chief Engineer of the State Grid Chongqing Electric Power Dispatch and Control Center, explained that the supply situation is much better this year due to the "Xinjiang-to-Chongqing" power transmission project, which now provides 600 million kilowatts of capacity, up from 400 million kilowatts last year. Half of this power is green energy from wind and solar. This power is partially stored in 12 new-type energy storage stations across Chongqing, which act like giant "power banks," charging when demand is low and discharging rapidly during peak times. Su Yu, Deputy Station Manager of the Chongqing Hechuan Power Generation Energy Storage Station, noted that the storage stations now participate in grid frequency regulation services throughout the day, responding quickly when solar and wind power output drops. From relying mainly on local hydropower and thermal power, Chongqing's power "family assets" are now thicker, supported by external power, energy storage, new energy, and gas-fired power. The installed capacity of energy storage has reached 1.4 million kilowatts, and the proportion of installed photovoltaic capacity has grown from 2.46% in 2022 to 15.19% in 2026. This robust and flexible power guarantee network, along with the hard work of power supply personnel, has brought "air conditioning freedom" to Chongqing's residents. Zhu Shaolin, a Chongqing resident, noted that while he used to worry about blackouts during peak electricity periods, that hasn't seemed to happen in the last two years, making daily life more comfortable.
'Invisible' Power Plants Relieve Peak Load Pressure
A crucial player in this year's summer power supply is the "invisible" power plant: the virtual power plant. It aggregates dispersed charging piles and power resources, dispatching them via a smart platform to where they are needed most during peak hours. Southern China's high temperatures arrived early this year, bringing the peak demand period forward. In Shenzhen, the peak load arrived over a month earlier than usual. Cheng Renli, General Manager of the Shenzhen Virtual Power Plant Management Center, explained that due to a combination of persistent high temperatures, a booming digital economy, and strong demand for new energy vehicle charging, Shenzhen's grid now exhibits a new pattern of "three peaks" in the morning, afternoon, and evening, plus a concentrated charging peak at midnight. This year, AI has been deeply integrated with the virtual power plant. A "cloud relay" involving 61 operators and over 14,000 users can quickly aggregate a regulation capacity of 1.4 million kilowatts, equivalent to the output of a medium-sized thermal power plant, easing grid pressure. The new AI model "Tianxuan-Lingxi" can actively identify risks of grid equipment overload based on real-time grid operation data and provide dispatch strategies. This process is both intelligent and efficient. Beyond Shenzhen, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang are also using virtual power plants for peak load regulation. Shanghai has aggregated 71 operators with a regulation capacity exceeding 2.7 million kilowatts, and Zhejiang has achieved dual-directional peak shaving, with a cumulative response of over 100 million kilowatt-hours. Nationwide, there are now over 470 virtual power plants with a maximum regulation capacity exceeding 16 million kilowatts, playing an increasingly important role in summer power supply guarantees.
Over 5 Billion kWh in Daily Cross-Provincial Power Flows
Cross-provincial and cross-regional power transmission is another key strategy for summer power supply. This year, an average of over 5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity flows between provinces daily, alleviating pressure on high-load areas. In Beijing, the grid load peaked at 29.939 million kilowatts on August 6, a new record, with air conditioning and other cooling loads accounting for nearly half of the increase. To ensure sufficient supply, wind power from Heilongjiang and solar power from Qinghai made their first joint delivery to Beijing, supplying 47 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity. The capital's power trading center optimized the dispatch to leverage the different generation characteristics of the two regions, with Qinghai's solar power supplying Beijing's daytime air conditioning load and Heilongjiang's wind power covering the evening peak. In Anhui, the newly operational ultra-high voltage (UHV) project from northern Shaanxi has delivered over 2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, supporting local demand. During this summer peak period, the national cross-provincial maximum transmission capacity has exceeded 278 million kilowatts, equivalent to the combined output of 12 Three Gorges hydropower stations. A network of 46 UHV projects is continuously rushing surplus power from the northwest and southwest to the high-load central and eastern regions. Concurrently, the electricity market remains active, with the volume of electricity traded in the national market growing by 24.2% year-on-year in the first half of the year, making cross-regional power dispatch more precise and efficient.
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