BEIJING - China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose by 7.6 percent year-on-year in the first 10 months of 2024, official data showed on Wednesday.

In October alone, power usage climbed 4.3 percent from one year earlier, according to data released by the National Energy Administration.

During the January-October period, power consumption of China's primary industries increased by 6.7 percent year-on-year, while power consumption of its secondary and tertiary sectors rose by 5.6 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

Residential power usage saw strong growth of 12.3 percent during this period, the administration said.