Beijing, July 23 (IANS): For the first time in 30 years, energy-hungry China is seeing its slowest growth in power consumption.

China Electricity Council released a report, “A Brief on 2015 January-June Electricity Industry”, that showed a slower growth rate of power consumption at 1.3 percent -- the lowest in 30 years, People's Daily reported.

Electricity data has long been the barometer of economy.

Experts pointed out that the decreased acceleration rate was an indicator that China has entered a phase of slower economic development, the media report cited China Energy News as saying.

The first half of 2015 saw total electricity consumption of 2,662.4 billion kWh all over China. Electricity supply relatively surpassed demand, but investment in electricity construction still increased.

There were 19 provinces whose acceleration rates were above the 1.3-percent national average, and there 9 provinces whose acceleration rates were below zero.

The data also varied in different industries.

Electricity consumption in secondary industry decreased by 0.5 percent -- the first time in five years. Electricity consumption in light industry increased by 2.1 percent and in heavy industry it decreased by 0.9 percent.