Toyota suspends operations at China plant due to power shortage

TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. has suspended operations at its plant in China's Sichuan province after local authorities issued an order to conserve electricity, the company said on Tuesday.

Toyota's joint venture plant in the city of Chengdu has ceased operations until Saturday, a company spokesperson said.

Sichuan province has rationed industrial electricity consumption during its worst heatwave in 60 years, prompting producers of fertilisers, lithium and other metals to shut plants or curb output.

Industrial users across 19 out of 21 cities in the province were ordered to suspend production from Aug. 15 until Aug. 20 to prioritize residential power supply, according to a notice issued on Sunday by the Department of Economy and Information Technology of Sichuan.

Toyota declined to reveal the amount of vehicle output that would be affected by the suspension.

"We're monitoring the situation every day and following the guidance from the government," the Toyota spokesperson said.