What happened

An exceptionally long and intense heatwave combined with severe drought across the upper Yangtze basin to produce Sichuan's worst compound heat-and-drought event since complete records began in 1961. Provincial precipitation during summer 2022 was later assessed at 51.5% below the historical average. Falling reservoir and river inflows cut Sichuan's hydropower production by about half just as air-conditioning demand repeatedly pushed electricity load to records. Beginning 15 August, authorities ordered industrial users in 19 of the province's 21 prefecture-level areas to suspend or sharply reduce production for an initial six-day period, later extending restrictions as the emergency worsened. Toyota halted its Sichuan assembly plant, while production was interrupted at facilities operated by or supplying companies including Foxconn, CATL, Apple and Tesla. Commercial buildings reduced lighting and air conditioning, rolling outages affected some communities, and the province activated its highest-level emergency energy-supply response on 21 August. Grid operators increased thermal generation and prioritized residential demand. Industrial and commercial supplies were reported restored across the province by 28 August, although hydropower recovery took longer. This record is distinct from the September 2021 Northeast China crisis: Sichuan's initiating constraint was drought-depressed hydropower during extreme heat, not primarily coal scarcity and electricity-price controls. The marker is regional and does not imply a single failed power station.

When cited sources give different casualty, damage or spill figures for this event, they’re reported side by side above rather than merged into one number. See how confidence levels work.