Chinaâs Power Crunch Means Sidewalks Packed With Generators May 28 2021, 5:34 PM May 28 2021, 2:16 PM May 28 2021, 5:34 PM (Bloomberg) -- Thereâs a new fixture along the alleyways of Guangzhou -- the portable generator. (Bloomberg) -- Thereâs a new fixture along the alleyways of Guangzhou -- the portable generator. Videos on Chinaâs popular social media app WeChat show blue and red generators spinning and hissing smoke outside of crowded clothing factories in the city at the center of the nationâs industrial heartland. The reason for their popularity? A suddenly unreliable power grid. âThe power supply in Guangdong has had some problems recently, and in some cities industrial plants have had to move their working time to off-peak hours,â Yu Zhai, an analyst with Wood Mackenzie Ltd., said by phone. âThis electricity shortage could be a problem from now through the summer.â