China's electricity consumption drops 12.5% in Feb  

2月中国全社会用电3374亿千瓦时 同比降12.5%

自去年10月以来连续三个月回暖的用电量数据在今年初却有些遇冷。中国国家能源局14日发布的全社会用电量等数据显示，2月份全社会用电量3374亿千瓦时，同比下降12.5%。

Beijing (CNS) -- Electricity consumption in China in February reached 337.4 billion kwh, a decrease of 12.5 percent from the same period last year, according to the National Energy Administration on Thursday.

Latest data also show that in the first two months of 2013, the nation's electricity consumption was 789.2 billion kwh, a year-on-year increase of 5.5 percent. By industry, electricity consumption rose 4.3 percent in agriculture, 4.2 percent in the industrial sector and 13.8 percent in tertiary industries. Residential consumption increased by 4.7 percent.

Electricity consumption is a barometer of economic activity. China's proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy are expected to further promote the economy, which will lead to a rebound in electricity demand. Electricity consumption in 2013 will see a year-on-year growth rate of 6.5 to 8.5 percent, a person in charge of the China Electricity Council predicted.