SHANGHAI, July 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Residents in Shanghai, China's economic power house, have spent continuously ten scorching summer days with temperature hitting 38 centigrade, together with the record summer electricity consumption.

 ;   Despite the good message released by the municipal observatory that the sweltering days maybe cooled down in the coming few days, Shanghai people have received the fourth black warning signal of this year.

    Officials with the power department said that at 12:50 a.m. Monday, the electricity consumption peak has reached the record 16.4 million kilowatt, almost the highest bearing capacity of Shanghai power grid.

    All generating units are in full operation. Power grids outside Shanghai have supplied maximum of 4.83 million kilowatt of electricity to Shanghai.

    Unbearable hot weather forced Shanghai residents to resort to air conditioners, a cause for the frequent occurrence of electricity usage malfunction.

    Statistics shows that nearly 20,000 staff were sent out by the Shanghai power department for overhaul, 60 percent of the cases are from residential usage.

    The power department advised residents to pay attention to electricity safety. All work shift prevention plan, high-temperature plan and other emergency plans are put into use.

    Not only Shanghai, Chongqing, another China's municipality in the country's southwest, with nickname of "hot oven" has passed one week in heat waves, with the highest temperature hitting 39.8 centigrade, and the municipality has issued six "orange" warning signal for high temperature.

    Drought is the battle waiting for local farmers there to fight against.

    Living in high temperatures or not, people across China are encouraged to save energy. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao asked government department staff to take lead in energy saving.

    Many government departments have adjusted their office temperature from the previous 22 centigrade to the current 26 centigrade. Good news for civil servants is that they can wear short-sleeve shirts instead of formal suits. Enditem