July power use hits all-time high of 1 trillion kWh

China's electricity consumption reached a historic high in July, surpassing 1 trillion kilowatt-hours for the first time, driven by strong demand from production and consumption sectors.

The country's total power consumption reached 1.02 trillion kWh in July, a year-on-year increase of 8.6 percent, said the National Energy Administration.

Often seen as a key indicator of economic activity, the record electricity consumption — which is also a global first — was propelled by strong performance in manufacturing and retail sectors as well as a surge in demand for cooling during the peak summer months.