Guangxi is facing a serious electricity crunch this year which has arrived much earlier than expected, according to an interview with one of the province's top utility providers.

"Currently the power shortage is close to 30 percent of the total demand. Guangxi Power Grid has sent out level-I warning marking a severe situation in power shortage," said Gu Nanfeng, vice-chief engineer of Guangxi Power Grid Co, People's Daily reported Monday. "Over 1,000 enterprises ceased or partially ceased production due to the power shortage," he added.

"Guangxi is facing the most serious and longest power shortage in 20 years," Gu told the reporter. Currently, Guangxi generates 2.5 gigawatts (gW) hydro power, 5.5 gW thermal power and purchases 1 gW electricity from other provinces, which totals 9 gW. However, the province’s demand for electricity is 13 gW, leaving a hole of about 4 gW, the report said.

Guangxi is now making efforts to import coal from other provinces and is asking provinces such as Guangdong and Yunnan to "borrow electricity." It is also restricting high energy-consuming enterprises and non-ordinary industrial use, shutting down lighting projects and calling on the whole society to save energy in order to combat the power crunch, according to the report.