Scorching heat has swept across much of the globe this summer. Within China, 58 national meteorological observation stations recorded consecutive days of extreme heat exceeding 40°C, while 23 provincial power grids set a cumulative 59 new historical peak-load records. This marks a significant challenge for energy infrastructure as the nation grapples with unprecedented demand.
As of August 6, national peak electricity load has exceeded 2025's maximum for 11 days this summer, with the highest hourly load reaching 15.53 billion kilowatts—an increase of approximately 45 million kilowatts compared to last year's record. This week alone, load has remained above 15 billion kilowatts for four consecutive days. In response, regions across the country are deploying innovative technologies and strategies to ensure stable power generation and supply during the peak summer period, firmly safeguarding residential electricity needs.
Chongqing, historically known as the "furnace city," faces particularly intense summer electricity demand. This year, the city experienced continuous extreme heat, with its grid load hitting record highs three times. Yet, power dispatchers, who once approached such challenges with anxiety, now display notable composure. Where does this newfound calm come from?
Meteorological records show that Chongqing has endured 25 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 35°C this summer, driving air conditioning usage and sharply increasing grid load. The city's peak grid load reached 31.4 million kilowatts, up 1.12 million kilowatts from last year's peak. However, staff at the Chongqing Power Dispatch Center appear less stressed. Shuai Hong, deputy chief engineer of the State Grid Chongqing Electric Power Dispatch Control Center, explains: "Our supply situation is much improved this year. The 'Xinjiang-to-Chongqing' power transmission project adds capacity equivalent to our two largest coal-fired power plants. Additionally, we have regulating power sources, including energy storage and pumped storage, which can supply peak demand when needed."
This year, electricity transmitted from Xinjiang to Chongqing has increased from 4 million kilowatts to 6 million kilowatts, significantly easing the city's power anxiety. Half of this long-distance power comes from wind and solar energy. Upon arrival, a portion is stored in Chongqing's 12 new-type energy storage stations. These stations function like massive "power banks," charging during low-demand periods and discharging rapidly during peak usage. Upon receiving a dispatch command, a storage station can ramp up its power output from 0 to 180 megawatts in a very short time, instantly compensating for the electricity consumption of over 50,000 household air conditioners operating simultaneously.
Su Yu, deputy station manager of the Chongqing Hechuan Power Generation Co., Ltd. energy storage station, notes: "Previously, we mainly charged during off-peak hours and discharged during evening peaks. Now, as long as the storage station is not under maintenance, it participates in grid frequency regulation throughout the day. When solar and wind power output decreases, storage needs to respond quickly."
From relying primarily on local hydropower and coal-fired power, Chongqing has diversified its electricity "portfolio" to include external power, energy storage, new energy sources, and gas-fired generation, strengthening its resilience against extreme heat. Shuai Hong adds: "We have added pumped storage and battery storage, with storage capacity reaching 1.4 million kilowatts. The installed capacity of gas turbines, wind power, and solar photovoltaics has also grown significantly compared to 2022. Solar photovoltaic capacity has increased from 2.46% of the total in 2022 to 15.19% in 2026." This more robust and flexible power security network, combined with the dedication of power supply personnel, has brought "air conditioning freedom" to scorching Chongqing. Resident Zhu Shaolin comments: "In the past, especially during peak electricity usage, I always worried about blackouts. But in the last two years, that hasn't seemed to happen. We have more and more appliances at home—robot vacuums, ovens, washer-dryers—life is genuinely more comfortable."
An invisible power plant is also playing an indispensable role in this summer's electricity supply: the virtual power plant. It aggregates dispersed charging stations and power resources, using a smart platform to dispatch electricity to where it's needed most during peak hours. This year, the southern heat arrived early, bringing an earlier peak demand. In Shenzhen, the peak load period arrived over a month earlier than usual. Cheng Renli, general manager of the Shenzhen Virtual Power Plant Management Center, explains: "Due to a combination of persistent high temperatures, the booming digital economy, and strong demand for new energy vehicle charging, the Shenzhen grid is now exhibiting a new peak-load pattern: morning, noon, and evening 'triple peaks,' plus concentrated midnight charging."
This year, artificial intelligence has been deeply integrated with the virtual power plant. On the management center's large screen, a load curve shows a steady decline in demand, driven by a "cloud relay" involving 61 operators and over 14,000 users. In a short time, participants can aggregate a regulation capacity of 1.4 million kilowatts, equivalent to the output of a medium-sized coal-fired power plant, relieving grid pressure. Cheng Renli notes: "This year, we introduced the AI model 'Tianxuan-Lingxi.' It can proactively identify risks of grid equipment overload based on real-time grid operation and provide strategies for where and how much to dispatch from the virtual power plant. The entire process is very intelligent and efficient."
Shenzhen is not alone. Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang are also using virtual power plants for peak-load regulation. Shanghai has aggregated 71 operators with a regulable capacity exceeding 2.7 million kilowatts. Zhejiang has achieved bidirectional regulation for peak shaving and valley filling, with cumulative response electricity exceeding 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 vital role in summer peak supply.
Cross-provincial and cross-regional power transmission is another key strategy for summer peak supply. This year, an average of over 5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity flows across provincial borders daily, alleviating pressure on high-load areas. On August 6, Beijing's grid load hit a record 29.939 million kilowatts, surpassing the 2024 record, with air conditioning and cooling loads accounting for nearly half of the increase. Just two days prior, wind power from Heilongjiang and solar power from Qinghai were transmitted to Beijing for the first time, supplying 47 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity. Cui Dongjun, director of the Capital Power Trading Center, explains: "Qinghai's solar power is more abundant during the day, while Heilongjiang's wind power is stronger at night. By optimizing allocation based on these different generation characteristics, we achieve day-night complementarity and relay trading, with Qinghai solar supplying Beijing's midday air conditioning load and Heilongjiang wind power taking over for the evening peak."
In Anhui, the ultra-high voltage transmission project from northern Shaanxi, which began operation in late June, has significantly supported local demand. It has transmitted over 2 billion kilowatt-hours, with a daily transmission exceeding 70 million kilowatt-hours, roughly one-third of Hefei's daily electricity consumption. During this peak summer period, the national cross-regional maximum transmission capacity has exceeded 278 million kilowatts, equivalent to the simultaneous output of 12 Three Gorges hydropower stations. Forty-six ultra-high voltage transmission lines are continuously transferring surplus power from the northwest and southwest to high-load central and eastern regions. Meanwhile, electricity market trading remains active. In the first half of the year, the national electricity market trading volume increased by 24.2% year-on-year, with more frequent trading enabling more precise and efficient cross-regional power allocation.
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