* Net fuel imports lowest since November * Oil demand may spike in summer amid power shortage (Adds background, analyst comment) By Tom Miles and Judy Hua BEIJING, June 10 (Reuters) - China's crude oil imports in May topped 5 million barrels per day for a fifth consecutive month, as limited domestic output growth prompts the world's second largest consumer to persistently tap imported fuels to power economic growth. Customs data showed China, which depends on imports for more than 55 percent of its oil demand, brought in 21.55 million tonnes of crude oil last month, almost flat with 21.54 million tonnes in April. The volume was 20.7 percent higher from a year earlier, in part due to a low base. On a daily basis, the imports in May were equivalent to 5.07 million barrels per day, topping the 5 million mark for the fifth month in a row. Imports of oil products rose 5.3 percent from a month earlier to 3.39 million tonnes in May while exports of oil products rose 20 percent to 2.46 million tonnes, resulting in net fuel imports of 930,000 tonnes, the lowest since November. "There are signs that China's economic growth is moderating, but its oil appetite may not slow that much, because China is expanding its emergency oil reserves," said an analyst with a foreign consultancy in Beijing, who declined to be named due to company policy. "The increases in China's oil output in recent quarters was actually higher than a norm of 1-2 percent in past years, but they still failed to catch up with demand growth." China's economy grew 9.7 percent in the first quarter after gaining 10.3 percent last year, and crude oil production in the first four months gained 6.1 percent on year to 4.16 million bpd, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. China has asked its two oil majors, CNPC and Sinopec Group, to accelerate expansion of commercial oil storage facilities to secure domestic supply amid fluctuation of international oil prices, Chinese media said. China's apparent oil demand, a combination of crude throughput and net imports of major oil products, rose 9.2 percent on year to the second highest level in April, Reuters calculations showed. POWER SHORTAGES TO BOOST OIL DEMAND China's oil demand may receive an additional boost as the worst power shortages in seven years drive up fuel consumption by diesel-fired power generators in summer, some analysts said. "We visited some factories in Jiangsu and many have prepared diesel-fired power generators for summer use," said a Shanghai-based oil analyst with a big securities firm. "Fuel supplies are likely to stay tight in summer as oil prices may continue to rise and refining margin may not recover." Jiangsu, one of China's leading regional economy, may face up to 11 gigawatts of power shortages, or 16 percent of its expected maximum power load, the largest shortfall in China. The National Development and Reform Commission said on May 30 that China's fuel supplies are expected to remain tight in June due to strong seasonal consumption coupled with additional demand from diesel-fired power generators amid ongoing power shortages. China has banned diesel exports to conserve domestic oil product supplies ahead of the looming summer power crunch. China's leading refineries were expected to have raised their crude oil throughput in May by around 1 percent from the daily volume in April, as maintenance at some refineries will offset higher run rates of other plants, a monthly Reuters poll showed. These refineries are expected to cut their June runs by about 2.8 percent from May, as heavy maintenance and high oil costs dampen operating levels. China is due to release official May output data, including crude and refinery throughput next week. (Writing by Jim Bai; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

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