Chilling out in Hangzhou: Qiufeng village's summer cool defense

As Hangzhou endures an intense heatwave this summer, Qiufeng village in Fuyang district, with its population of about 28,000, faces unique challenges. The village's densely packed, low-rise buildings lead to high energy consumption, causing power loads to fluctuate and equipment to operate near capacity. In response, State Grid Hangzhou Power Supply has prioritized residents' needs by implementing precise load monitoring, grid-specific emergency responses, and targeted capacity upgrades to ensure a reliable "cool defense line" during peak demand.

The village relies on 84 public transformers to manage its significant power load. State Grid's solution combines technology with on-the-ground efforts, utilizing big data analytics to predict load increases. This approach creates a dynamic cycle of early warnings, load shifting, and rapid restoration. By reallocating entire rows of buildings from overloaded transformers to those with lighter loads, an "elastic balance" is maintained, keeping the grid stable even in extreme heat.

Night patrols: Engineers inspect e equipment to ensure stability after dark

Even after sunset, the heat persists. At 9pm, crews navigate the alleys with infrared thermometers, focusing on transformers marked as "priority". "When loading exceeds 70%, the system alerts us to potential overload risks, and we intervene promptly to avoid reaching the 80% threshold", explains He Xiaoye, a State Grid engineer. Since July, each of the village's 84 transformers has received these "night house-calls."

Infrared scans: Engineers scan hot spots areas before outages occur

"In this scorching weather, every household turns on their AC simultaneously, causing a sudden surge that can overheat equipment," He notes. "Over the past five years, we've added 18 new transformer sites, totaling 8,120 kVA, to relieve pressure. Transformer No. 84, installed this year, now carries almost 40% of the load previously managed by No. 7". He gestures toward an emergency generator truck on standby, emphasizing, "If a failure occurs, we prioritize restoring power first and optimizing later to minimize disruptions to daily life".

This summer, State Grid has conducted over 20 targeted night patrols in Qiufeng, using infrared thermography and real-time load monitoring to address two defects. With 24/7 repair teams, fully equipped emergency trucks, and upgraded transformers, a resilient network is in place to combat the heat, ensuring that lights and air-conditioners remain operational for every household.