ULAN BATOR, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's electricity consumption has surged significantly during the ongoing cold winter season, the country's Energy Regulatory Commission announced on Monday.
The national power grid reached a peak load of 1,614 megawatts (MW) on Sunday evening, an 18 MW increase compared to the same period last year, the commission said, urging the public to conserve energy.
To mitigate the risk of a complete blackout, Mongolia has been forced to implement power rationing measures. Specifically, Ulan Bator, the capital city, which is home to nearly half of Mongolia's 3.5 million population, has introduced measures to limit power usage by district and for several hours each day since early this month.
Currently, around 80 percent of Mongolia's electricity is generated domestically, with the remaining 20 percent imported.
Mongolia's climate is strongly influenced by its continental location, characterized by long, freezing winters and brief, warm summers. ■
