China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, maintained steady growth in the first two months of 2026, with high-tech manufacturing and digital services emerging as the primary engines of demand.

Data released by the National Energy Administration on Tuesday showed that the country's total power usage reached 1,654.6 billion kilowatt-hours during the January-February period, marking a 6.1 percent increase year-on-year.

The breakdown by sector highlights a significant shift toward high-quality development and industrial upgrading. High-tech and equipment manufacturing outperformed the general industrial average with a robust 10.6 percent growth, signaling strong momentum in advanced production, it said.

The tertiary industry recorded the highest growth rate among the three main industries, rising 8.3 percent to 323.1 billion kWh.

The digital and green transitions were particularly visible in the tertiary sector's sub-categories. Power demand for electric vehicle charging and swapping services plummeted upward by 55.1 percent, while internet data services—fueled by the surge in artificial intelligence and computing demand—saw consumption rise by 46.2 percent.

Residential power consumption also recorded a modest climb, increasing 2.7 percent to 281.3 billion kWh during the same period.