China ordered all Sichuan factories to shut down until August 20th in order to relieve the strain on the power grid caused by China’s worst heatwave in 60 years, which resulted in increased air conditioning usage. Temperatures in several cities reached 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to CNN (40 degrees Celsius).
Authorities are attempting to conserve power for residents in the region, as officials have warned that Sichuan is experiencing the “most severe and extreme moment” in power supply, according to the Chinese state news outlet Sichuan Daily. This is most likely due to the region’s reliance on hydropower, which makes it especially vulnerable to the heatwave and drought that is also drying up hydro dam reservoirs.
