China consumed 2.38 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity in the first half of the year, a 5.5 percent increase year-on-year, but a 6.7 percent drop in the expected annual power consumption growth rate compared with last year, said China Electricity Council on Tuesday.

The nation's power consumption in the first quarter increased 6.8 percent and power use in the second quarter by 4.3 percent, according to its report.

Despite warning that the country's coal-fired power plants "still have operational difficulties", the council has estimated that economic growth in the second half is expected to result in stronger power use.

It said consumption in the second half will be about 2.60 to 2.65 trillion kilowatt-hours, representing a 6-8 percent year-on-year growth.