Power consumption to grow 10.5% in 2005

China's consumption of electrical power will increase by about 10.5% in 2005, the State Grid Corporation of China has forecast. If correct, that would represent a decline of about 4% from this year which is expected to see an increase in consumption by 14.5% on 2003 figures. Electricity consumption reached some 1.57trn kwh in the first nine months of 2004, with industrial businesses, service trades and urban and rural home users being the top three growth areas for demand.