Huaihua, Hunan (Platts)--14Sep2012/333 am EDT/733 GMT

China consumed 449.5 billion kWh of electricity in August, up 3.6% year on year, data released by the National Energy Administration Friday showed.

Of the total, electricity consumption by the industrial sector accounted for 313.7 billion kWh, up 1.1% year on year.

Over January-August, China consumed 3,282.8 billion kWh of electricity, up 5.1% year on year, according to the data. Of that, industrial electricity consumption accounted for 2,379.2 billion kWh, up 3.1% year on year.

In the first eight months of the year, China's coal-fired power units worked a total 3,329 hours, down 218 hours or 6.1% year on year. Hydropower units worked for a total 2,380 hours, up 291 hours or 13.9% year on year.

At the end of August, the combined design capacity of China's power units -- each with an installed capacity of at least 6 MW -- rose 8.1% year on year to 1,054,260 MW. Of that, coal-fired power units comprised 780,650 MW, up 6.6% year on year, hydropower units accounted for 203,830 MW, up 6.7% and nuclear power units represented 12,570 MW, up 5.6%.

In comparison, China generated 444.49 billion kWh of electricity in August, up 4.3% year on year, as Platts reported on September 5 based on figures from the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

In the first eight months of 2012, China generated 3,253.44 billion kWh of electricity, up 5.9% year on year.

China also imports electricity from countries like Russia, Myanmar and North Korea to cover consumption requirements.

--Reggie Le, newsdesk@platts.com --Edited by Haripriya Banerjee, haripriya_banerjee@platts.com

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