Chinese city dims lights as record heatwave hits energy supplies

Highs of over 40C in Chengdu dry up hydropower reservoirs and raise demand for air conditioning

A provincial capital in south-west China has dimmed outdoor advertisements, subway lighting and building signs to save energy as the area struggles with a power crunch triggered by record-high temperatures.

Temperatures rose past 40C (104F) in Sichuan province this week, fuelling massive demand for air conditioning and drying up reservoirs in a region reliant on dams for most of its electricity.