China's power output sustains double-digit growth in September

China's  sustained at a double-digit pace of its power generation expansion for an eighth consecutive month ;ast Septe,ber.

Nontheless, growth momentum continued to ease amid slowing economic activity, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

Electricity output increased 11.5 percent from a year earlier to 386.1 billion kilowatt-hours in September, dragging generation growth in the first nine months down to 12.7 percent from 13 percent in the first eight months and 13.5 percent in the first half.

At 12.87 billion kWh per day, September output was lower than the previous three months when summer heat drove monthly generation to a record high above 13 billion kWh.

The fall in power generation growth is consistent with China's economic expansion, which has eased in recent quarters amid tightening policies and softening demand for exports.

September power production growth was also inflated by a low base in 2010, when a last-minute campaign to cap energy use kicked in.

Some local governments rushed to cut energy consumption in the final months of last year to meet year-end energy efficiency goals, driving power generation growth down to single digits in the final four months.

The full story is available at Reuters.