BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose 6.6 percent to 6.31 trillion kilowatt hours in 2017, official data showed Monday.

The rate was faster than the 5-percent increase for 2016, according to the data released by the National Energy Administration (NEA).

Electricity used by service sector rose 10.7 percent last year, followed by a 7.3-percent increase for the agricultural sector and 5.5 percent for the industrial sector. Residential power use rose 7.8 percent, the NEA said.

Last year, China added 133.72 gigawatts of new power generation capacity, with 34.2 percent being thermal power capacity and 9.6 percent being hydropower.

The rapid power-consumption growth came amid faster economic growth. China's economy expanded 6.9 percent last year, picking up for the first time in seven years and well above the government annual target of around 6.5 percent.

Data from the National Development and Reform Commission showed that total power generation in 2017 rose 6.5 percent, with power from clean energy sources up 10 percent, outpacing a 5.2-percent growth for thermal power.

Electricity from nuclear, wind and solar power plants rose 16.5 percent, 26.3 percent and 75.4 percent, respectively.