Can China pass the winter energy test?

中国能通过这个冬季能源考验吗?

Round Table China

2026-01-29

28 分钟
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Winter is the ultimate stress test for our energy system. As temperatures plunge nationwide in China, the demand for electricity surges. From heating millions of northern homes to powering the non-stop factories in the south, this seasonal surge creates a complex, high-stakes challenge that is unmatched in scale and intensity anywhere on Earth. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei.
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  • Discussion keeps the world turning.

  • This is Roundtable.

  • From the heart of Beijing to the edges of the global stage, you are at Roundtable.

  • I'm Niu Honglin.

  • Winter is a stress test for every energy system,

  • from heating homes in Europe to powering data centers in North America.

  • Cold weather pushes grids to their limits.

  • This winter, China is facing that same test, at a scale unmatched anywhere else in the world.

  • In this episode,

  • we invite you to do a quick reality check and see how the country writes this chapter of its energy story.

  • For today's show, I'm joined by Fei Fei and Steve Hatherly.

  • Now pull up a chair and join… the conversation.

  • Most countries worry about keeping the lights on during extreme weather.

  • China has to do that for nearly one-fifth of humanity,

  • across climates ranging from subzero winters to tropical heat.

  • How it manages that challenge matters far beyond its borders.

  • So how are we doing this winter so far?

  • And I think to answer that question,

  • we should be responsible and explain the situation here in the country to those who have no idea.

  • how a country powers on so many people in such a huge land.