According to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, in April, China’s primary aluminum output totaled about 3.33 million tons, increasing by 0.8% year on year but decreasing by 1.2% month on month.

The monthly decrease was due to the power rationing in Southwestern China, which further impacted metal output.

The main electric power supply in China’s Yunnan area is hydroelectric power. However, the rainfall in the area has been low since last September, so the authority required aluminum manufacturers to cut their production. Also, the resumption was uncertain in the short term.

The new commence aluminum production projects in May are mainly located in Sichuan and Inner Mongolia, but the process is slow.