China generated 447.966 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from January to February, an increase of 16.6 percent year on year, according to China Electricity Council (CEC).

China's power consumption would grow by 12.5 percent in 2007, the CEC predicted.

The number reflects the strong growth of the country's economy as power consumption serves as an important indicator of economic development, experts analyzed.

Industries consumed 75.6 percent of power supply in 2006. During the Spring Festival in February, China's traditional family re-union holiday similar to Christmas, power growth should not surge that much, experts said.

"The only explanation is that the country has powerful internal driving forces," experts said, adding "New factories are mushrooming and operating even in holidays."

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2007)