China is facing a huge power crunch, caused due to extreme weather conditions. It is an issue that could last for several months, which could affect the country’s economy. Many Chinese provinces in recent weeks said that they were facing a power crunch, including the engines for the country’s economic growth.

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Guangdong province is a manufacturing centre that is responsible for 1.7 trillion USD, or over 10% of the country’s annual economic output. It has been rationing power for more than a month. The restrictions have forced companies in the province to close down for a few days every week, reported CNN.

Some authorities have warned that the power rationing could last until the end of the year. Nine other provinces have reported that they were dealing with a similar issue, including Guangxi, Yunnan and the country’s manufacturing hub Zhejiang. This forced officials to announce power curbs across a part of the country that is as large as the United Kingdom (UK), reported CNN.

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The National Bureau of Statistics suggested that the power crisis had also affected the speed of the factory activity and its overall growth in China in June. This has been the worst energy shortage in the country in 10 years. The last time China faced a similar crisis was in 2011 when rising coal prices and droughts forced 17 provinces or regions to curb the usage of electricity. “The power rationing will inevitably hurt the economy”, said Yan Qin, a lead carbon analyst at Refinitiv, reported CNN.