BEIJING—China’s drought this month closed factories, forced commuters to ride in the dark and turned out the lights on the historic Bund walkway in central Shanghai.
The energy shortage caused by the drought It was exacerbated by decisions made by local officials and grid executives in Sichuan, one of the hardest-hit provinces, according to documents seen by The Wall Street Journal. In July, the province ran down its water reservoirs and boosted hydropower exports to other regions to levels that were 15% higher than the same time a year ago. The officials were expecting the reservoirs to be replenished in August, usually a rainy season in the region.
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