Steady Power Use Reflects China's Stable Economy

China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, saw steady expansion in June, official data showed on Monday. Power use rose 5.4 percent year-on-year in June to 867 billion kilowatt-hours, according to the National Energy Administration. Electricity consumed by the primary and secondary industries increased 4.9 percent and 3.2 percent year-on-year, respectively, while consumption by the tertiary sector rose 9 percent. The electricity consumption for urban and rural residents reached 129.1 billion kilowatt-hours, marking a year-on-year increase of 10.8 percent. From January to June, the total power use climbed 3.7 percent to 4.84 trillion kilowatt-hours.