Monday, September 27th 2021

As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, China is Now Experiencing Power Shortages

If you were hoping for relief from the electronics shortages, then we have more bad news for you, as China is now being hit by power outages in various parts of the country. The outages are due to shortage in production, as China is trying to balance pollution vs. production, while at the same time trying to make sure its population doesn't feel the worst of the power shortage.

Factories in at least five provinces have suspended production to try and appease the government, which in turn will lead to delays in shipping whatever part or component they're making that is an important cog in the greater machinery that produces so many of the world's goods. Not all factories are affected and the suspension is obviously temporary, but it seems like we can expect a rolling production suspension over the next few months at the very least, which suggests that not everyone will get their new shiny toy from Santa this Christmas.
The report from the AP suggests that several of Apple's suppliers have been hit and the unexpected power cuts have also caused human casualties, as 23 people were hospitalised from gas poisoning due to the ventilation system in a metal casting factory being unexpectedly shut off. This just adds to all the other issues when it comes to production and shipment of goods and with winter arriving in northern China, things are likely to get worse. Part of the reason for all of this is that the party is hosting a U.N. environmental conference in mid October, followed by the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February next year and President Xi wants to present a nation with clear blue skies to the world.

However, increasing prices for coal and gas is also causing power supply shortages, as the utility companies in China aren't allowed to charge consumers more than a certain amount and can as such not increase prices, unlike in most other countries. This makes them unwilling to increase power output, as they would have to cover the additional costs. The companies that have suspended their production are expecting to be back in production by the start of next month, if it wasn't for the fact that the first week of October is a national holiday in China. Reports coming out of Taiwan suggest that Taiwanese PCB manufacturers in China haven't been too badly affected and have so far been able to make up for the shortfall using stock.
Sources: AP, Reuters
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77 Comments on As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, China is Now Experiencing Power Shortages

#1
ThrashZone
Hi,
Yeah got to slow things down to drive prices up more
China is pretty good at creating crisis's we've all been living through the best one for the last two years.
Posted on Reply
#2
neatfeatguy
Government mandated rolling blackouts.....huh. I'd say this was interesting, but then again, things people do these days surprise me less and less.
Posted on Reply
#3
TheLostSwede
News Editor
neatfeatguyGovernment mandated rolling blackouts.....huh. I'd say this was interesting, but then again, things people do these days surprise me less and less.
It's not government mandated though, they are more or less forcing companies to do this, due to there not being enough electricity, so you either take a chance and you end up losing your production due to a power cut, or you shut down for a few days and hope for the best when you get back.
Posted on Reply
#5
TheLostSwede
News Editor
The Quim ReaperDamn Brexit!
Hopefully China will be next to leave the EU...
Posted on Reply
#7
stimpy88
Market manipulation in the name of China suddenly giving a crap about the environment... lolololololol
Posted on Reply
#8
ThrashZone
TheLostSwedeHopefully China will be next to leave the EU...
Hi,
Why would they waste all that bribe money
Posted on Reply
#9
xkm1948
I mean cutting back on CO2 emission is great. Mass consumption of natural resources really needs to tone down a bit. Consumer less is good
ThrashZoneHi,
Yeah got to slow things down to drive prices up more
China is pretty good at creating crisis's we've all been living through the best one for the last two years.
I do not agree. Countries across the world had massive differences in how they responded to a pandemic. Some counties like Taiwan were barely affected. Can't blame the stupid ways of handling a pandemic when you have a huge amount of stupid aholes doing anti-science and anti-vaccine movements.
Posted on Reply
#10
Ferrum Master
There are their holidays October 1st to 8th.

All orders all suspended because of that anyways...
Posted on Reply
#11
FeelinFroggy
xkm1948I mean cutting back on CO2 emission is great. Mass consumption of natural resources really needs to tone down a bit. Consumer less is good



I do not agree. Countries across the world had massive differences in how they responded to a pandemic. Some counties like Taiwan were barely affected. Can't blame the stupid ways of handling a pandemic when you have a huge amount of stupid aholes doing anti-science and anti-vaccine movements.
Obviously, you are not a golfer.
Posted on Reply
#12
Fatalfury
Looks like the Large Crypto MINING farms are starting to take the toll on china's power grids.
No Wonder they were in the news last week trying to make crypto currency mining as illegal in the country.
Posted on Reply
#13
TheLostSwede
News Editor
Ferrum MasterThere are their holidays October 1st to 8th.

All orders all suspended because of that anyways...
Yes? I think I mentioned that in the article.
Posted on Reply
#14
Ferrum Master
TheLostSwedeYes? I think I mentioned that in the article.
There for it would not cause much damage. Anyone with some reason relying on China supplies already hold their orders or stocked up before.

Chinese antics...
Posted on Reply
#15
R-T-B
FatalfuryLooks like the Large Crypto MINING farms are starting to take the toll on china's power grids.
No Wonder they were in the news last week trying to make crypto currency mining as illegal in the country.
lolno. Mining fled China in near entirety months ago.
Posted on Reply
#16
TheoneandonlyMrK
Quite beyond me why all the investment went to China in the first place, when Africa India etc etc are also growing economies without communist rule.
Posted on Reply
#17
TheUn4seen
FatalfuryLooks like the Large Crypto MINING farms are starting to take the toll on china's power grids.
No Wonder they were in the news last week trying to make crypto currency mining as illegal in the country.
Come on, this again? At it's peak, according to Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance, cryptocurrency mining amounted to 0.55% of global energy usage. Aluminum smelting is at 3.5%. Also, crypto mining escaped China weeks ago, since, you know, you can go to prison or get a bullet to the head for doing it there, absolutely not because the government wants to force their own government mandated e-yuan in the next few months.
Posted on Reply
#18
R-T-B
TheoneandonlyMrKQuite beyond me why all the investment went to China in the first place, when Africa India etc etc are also growing economies without communist rule.
Chinas about as communist at this point as a frickin' KFC. They are pretty much capitalism full on just like the USA but have an authoritarian government. The economy is full on open market at this point. A lot of countries in Africa are in that exact same boat yes, but they also have widespread governmental instability. There is your answer.

As for India, I honestly don't know.
Posted on Reply
#19
Ferd
TheUn4seensince, you know, you can go to prison or get a bullet to the head for doing it there,
Huh ?
No bullets , it’s not a movie , you pay a fine .
Posted on Reply
#20
R-T-B
FerdHuh ?
No bullets , it’s not a movie , you pay a fine .
And the fine is big which usually means jail, or at the very least no profit.

Either way, crypto has fled China.
Posted on Reply
#21
Ferd
TheoneandonlyMrKQuite beyond me why all the investment went to China in the first place, when Africa India etc etc are also growing economies without communist rule.
There was a time where China offered attractive labor cost , Africa still tied to eu , mostly France due to colonization... and a few agreements signed after the independence of a few countries some agreements lasting for 100 years , nowadays China is slowing invading Africa through “investments “ , loans that most countries can’t pay back , and China gets 99 years of free access to the infrastructure it helped build
Posted on Reply
#22
TheoneandonlyMrK
FerdThere was a time where China offered attractive labor cost , Africa still tied to eu , mostly France due to colonization... and a few agreements signed after the independence of a few countries some agreements lasting for 100 years , nowadays China is slowing invading Africa through “investments “ , loans that most countries can’t pay back , and China gets 99 years of free access to the infrastructure it helped build
Yeah about that, it's a good job your not working on their PR, I don't want to get too political, It just surprises me Soo much investment went to China and not others.
I never doubted that they would try and make capitalism fail, sooo.
Posted on Reply
#23
Tomgang
First they give us covid-19.

Then there greedy house developer Evergrande is on the brink of bankruptcy with one of the highest debts in the world of 300 billion us dollars and in the worst case scenario cut begin a new world financial crisis all over again. Hello 2008..

And now there power system is unstable and delays things even more.

Yeah its going great in China:shadedshu:
Posted on Reply
#24
xkm1948
TheoneandonlyMrKQuite beyond me why all the investment went to China in the first place, when Africa India etc etc are also growing economies without communist rule.
Highly educated personal, hard-working ethics, low violence, stable output, ample natural resources, mass population. These are just a few. There is a reason East Asian countries does super well in terms of economy growth. East Asia has been the absolute center of science and economy power house for the most part of human civilization history.

Anyone think China is still communism is delutional and have watched too many western media propanganda. They are hyper capitalism.
Posted on Reply
#25
TheoneandonlyMrK
xkm1948Highly educated personal, hard-working ethics, low violence, stable output, ample natural resources, mass population. These are just a few. There is a reason East Asian countries does super well in terms of economy growth. East Asia has been the absolute center of science and economy power house for the most part of human civilization history.

Anyone think China is still communism is delutional and have watched too many western media propanganda. They are hyper capitalism.
Err calm yourself but yeah you're opinion differs, it's allowed here.
Posted on Reply
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