BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China's power generation climbed 4.2 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2019, official data showed.

The pace of growth eased from 8 percent registered in the same period last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

In March alone, power generation rose 5.4 percent from a year earlier, up from a rise of 2.9 percent in the first two months.

Generation of hydroelectricity expanded 22 percent year on year in March, the highest growth since March 2016, due to abundant water from southern regions.

The generation of nuclear power and solar power both posted faster year-on-year growth, at 31.7 percent and 12.9 percent respectively.