China generated about 1.64 trillion kwh electricity in the first half of this year, according to the Country's economic planner on Sunday.

The figure represented a decline of 1.7 percent over the same period last year, compared with a growth rate of 12.9 percent in the same period last year, said the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in a report on its website.

As a result of economic growth slowdown, power consumption of the whole society down 2.24 percent in the first half over the same period last year. Industry power consumption alone dropped 5.9 percent year on year.

The NDRC figures also showed, China's power industry saw profits stand at 19.1 billion yuan (US$2.80 billion) in the first five months, up 12.5 percent over the same period last year.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2009)