當年今日
關於我們

Chinese factories forced to rent generators as power shortages bite

蘋果日報 2021/06/21 06:04


Power shortages first reported in China’s southern Guangdong province now appear to be spreading to other parts of central and northern China, with some businesses needing to rent high-cost diesel generators to keep going.
Since May, areas of Guangdong — including Dongguan, Foshan and Huizhou — have been forced to take measures to restrict electricity use, throwing companies’ manufacturing plans into disarray. Many were forced to alter their manufacturing schedules to conform to the authorities’ new restrictions.
The restrictions have also affected workers’ hours, and livelihoods.
Tang Xuehui, general manager of a shoe factory in Dongguan, said that the plant can produce 100,000 pairs of shoes each month, but the electricity restrictions in place since May have had a serious impact. The factory has had to rent its own generator in order to guarantee on-time delivery, Tang said.
Rising coal prices have had a knock-on effect on diesel. The factory’s electricity costs have more than doubled, Tang said.
Other Chinese regions reported to be affected include Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong, Anhui and Inner Mongolia. According to a report by China Business Network, while the electricity shortages have not affected power usage in daily life, the effect on manufacturing is reminiscent of the large-scale power shortage China experienced in 2004.
In that year, 24 provinces had to adopt restrictions on the use of electricity.
Click here for Chinese version
---------------------------------
Apple Daily’s all-new English Edition is now available on the mobile app: bit.ly/2yMMfQE
To download the latest version,
Or search Appledaily in App Store or Google Play