Rudong county in Nantong, Jiangsu province, recently saw a significant surge in electricity consumption, a pivotal indicator of economic vitality, during the first quarter of the year.

Total electricity consumption across all sectors reached 2.46 billion kilowatt-hours, marking a robust increase of 20.53 percent compared to the same period last year. Particularly noteworthy was the electricity consumption in the industrial sector, which recorded a 21.32 percent year-on-year growth, hitting 1.80 billion kWh.

This surge in industrial electricity usage can be attributed to the proactive measures taken by the county to bolster manufacturing activities. At the beginning of the year, Rudong introduced 10 measures aimed at accelerating the development of the manufacturing sector. These measures included increased policy support and incentives to encourage businesses to ramp up production and pursue new projects, thus boosting confidence among industrial enterprises.

Among the major electricity consumers is Jiangdong Alloy Technology Co Ltd, a prominent player with approximately 5,000 metric tons of pending orders. Specializing in high-voltage cables, submarine cables, and high-performance copper foil, the company consumed 32.66 million kWh of electricity in the first quarter, generating 2.19 billion yuan ($302.38 million) in taxable sales revenue.

Furthermore, the industrial bases of Yangkou town and Yangkou Port collectively consumed 42.98 million kWh of electricity, with product sales exceeding 4,000 tons.

The first quarter also witnessed a commendable performance in terms of industrial output, with the county's total industrial output value reaching 52.92 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9 percent. The added value of large-scale industries surged by an impressive 11.5 percent.

A factory belonging to a manufacturer in Rudong. [Photo/WeChat account: rudongfb]