China is likely to face the most severe power shortage in its history this summer, with the electricity shortfall increasing to at least 30 gigawatts (gW) and estimated to peak at 40 gW, officials said.

—— Excerpt from Unprecedented power shortages expected

       如今新闻报道中时常出现表示资源短缺的字眼“**荒”，一般可以翻译成“shortage”。例如：民工荒（labor shortage）、血库血荒（blood supply shortage）、水荒（water shortage/ water scarcity）等等。

       “电荒”来袭，部分原因是华中华南地区遭遇的旱灾（drought）。旱情既影响了电煤运输，又影响水力发电（hydropower production），这些都加剧了“电荒”。

       为了应对“电荒”困局，许多地区不得不采用一系列限电措施。近两个月在浙江、江苏、安徽等省已出现拉闸限电现象。

       Since March, limited electricity supply plans such as power cuts have been carried out in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hebei, Hubei, Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces to relieve pressure on the energy supply.

—— Excerpt from Severe drought saps power output

       作为解困的第一步，有专家建议调整上网电价。上网电价（on-grid price）是指发电企业与购电方进行上网电能结算的价格。调高上网电价，可以让电网公司分摊一部分成本上涨因素。

       According to Chinese media, the National Development and Reform Commission will soon raise the on-grid prices by 0.02 yuan (0.003 cent) a kilowatt-hour in Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces because of the serious power shortages in the areas, but Li Dawei, a CEC official, said he has not been officially informed about it.

—— Excerpt from Unprecedented power shortages expected

（来源：中国网学英语频道）