The southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan is baking in the worst heatwave in six decades, with hydropower generation from the Yangtze River falling and factories closing to ease the pressure on the grids. The heatwave is reducing water levels on the Yangtze River to the lowest on record for this time of the year, threatening crops and power supply in the Sichuan province, which relies on hydropower generation for a large portion of its electricity supply. Sichuan also typically sells hydropower-generated electricity to other provinces. But this year, the worst drought and heatwave in decades has depleted water levels, threatening power supply in the region. China joins Europe in experiencing issues with power supply amid heatwaves. European hydropower reservoirs in Norway are at low water levels, while hot rivers curtail nuclear power generation at French nuclear power plants, which usually account for 70% of France’s electricity mix. In Sichuan […]