Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province, began to impose power restrictions on some users Wednesday after the city's power grid overloaded three times in the first week of 2005.

The city is experiencing a shortfall of 500,000 to 600,000 kilowatts a day.

Suppliers are staggering output to reduce the strain on the power grid at peak hours. Factories and companies with high electricity consumption have been told to use electricity only between 11:00 PM and 8:30 AM.

Hotels, stores and restaurants have been told to reduce the use of lighting, air conditioners, elevators and escalators.

Hydropower output has decreased as a result of the prolonged south China drought, and some of the province's power generators are currently being overhauled, leading to the shortage.

Residential supplies are not affected by the restrictions, and power distributors do not anticipate blackouts in residential areas.

The city's plans for 2005 call for hotels, stores, restaurants, offices and other service-industry businesses to cut electricity use by 15 to 30 percent.

Last year, Guangzhou introduced a three-tier power consumption warning system. A red alert signals a serious overuse of power, when high-volume users will be instructed to switch to the staggered schedule. Violators face additional restrictions.

Guangzhou is building more power plants but does not expect shortages to be eased until 2006, when the new plants are commissioned. It anticipates balancing electricity demand and supply in 2007.

(Shenzhen Daily January 7, 2005)