China Power Consumption to Rise 11 pct This Year -NEA

BEIJING, July 21 -- China is likely to consume about 11 percent more electricity this year than in 2009, with second-half growth easing on the government's curb on heavy users and a higher year-ago base, the National Energy Administration said.

The annual growth compared with a 21.6 percent rise in the first six months, with June power use hitting the slowest pace in a non-holiday month since October 2009 as Beijing's clampdown on heavy industries started to bite.

China, the world's second-largest power market, will consume 4.06 to 4.13 trillion kilowatts hours (KWH) of electricity this year, NEA said at a regular news briefing.

On coal supplies, the top energy agency said China's imports will grow less rapidly in the second half with rising international thermal coal prices, after total coal purchases rallied nearly 71 percent in the first six months.

China imported 81.09 million tonnes of coal in the first half of the year, NEA said.

China, the world's largest coal consumer, brought in a record amount of foreign coal last year -- about 126 million tonnes -- on surging demand boosted by a runaway steel sector and heating demands during a cold winter.