Transmission towers dominate the skyline in Qingyang in Gansu province. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]
China's electricity market witnessed robust expansion in the first half of 2026, driven by steady economic demand and a growing appetite for clean energy, according to the latest official data.
Total market-traded electricity soared 24.2 percent year-on-year to reach 3,684.8 billion kilowatt-hours between January and June, as per the figures released by the National Energy Administration on Monday.
A breakdown of the trading varieties during the six-month period highlights the stabilizing role of medium- and long-term contracts, which accounted for the vast majority of the volume at 3,256.8 billion kWh.
Meanwhile, spot market trading — a critical mechanism for price discovery and flexible grid operation — totaled 428 billion kWh, the administration said.
