The picture shows staff members of the State Grid Shizuishan Power Supply Company engaged in maintenance work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
On Nov 3, with the completion of the last operation order, the 220 kilovolt Bulan line was energized, marking the successful completion and operation of key projects in the northern Ningxia power grid. This significantly enhanced the power grid's transmission capacity and safety factor, providing a strong and reliable power guarantee for the high-quality economic and social development of Shizuishan.
In recent years, as the energy transformation and new energy industry have rapidly developed in Ningxia Hui autonomous region, investment promotion in the Shizuishan region has accelerated. Key large industrial projects, including Jiangsu Runyang and Dongfang Hope, have been successively implemented. The regional load has seen a rapid increase, presenting new opportunities for the development of the Ningxia power grid while posing a severe challenge to the safe operation of the northern Ningxia power grid. Due to the lack of conventional power supply support in the northern Ningxia power grid, local power grid sections are tending towards full load, leading to tight power supply and demand in northern Ningxia, posing a severe test to the safe operation of the power grid.
Energy security and safety are crucial to the national economy and people's livelihood, presenting a paramount concern that cannot be overlooked for even a moment. Given the current complex situation regarding the safe and stable supply of electricity, the Shizuishan Power Supply Company of the State Grid, mindful of its responsibility, has resolutely taken on the primary duty of ensuring power supply. It promptly secured 130 million yuan ($18.11 million) to initiate the construction of the northern Ningxia power grid project, striving to address the imbalance between the overall power supply capacity and the development of local power grids, and effectively enhance the power supply capacity and safe and stable operation level of the northern Ningxia power grid.
The construction of the northern Ningxia power grid comprises grid optimization and reinforcement projects. The 220 kV grid structure optimization project comprises seven individual projects. The main part of the project commenced construction in June 2023. After 150 days of strenuous effort, it was fully completed and put into operation on Dec 2, 10 months ahead of the expected schedule. The Shizuishan regional stability control system project lasted six months, involving over 300 personnel and was completed on Oct 25, 2024.
Upon commissioning, the project effectively addressed the issue of high short-circuit current in the southern Shizuishan power grid, establishing a reasonable power supply division. The overall power supply capacity of the grid has reached 1.2 million kilowatts, significantly enhancing the power supply capacity and reliability of the North-South Shizuishan power transmission corridor.
The 220 kV grid reinforcement project in northern Ningxia primarily involves upgrading the original 220 kV Bulan A and B lines, serving as a crucial reinforcement project for power transmission channels in the northern Ningxia power grid. The newly constructed line spans 20.5 kilometers and includes 57 iron towers. Commenced in September 2023, the project lasted 409 days and was successfully commissioned on Nov 3, 2024, nearly two months ahead of the milestone schedule. Upon completion, the project will significantly enhance the power supply capacity of the 220 kV north-south corridor by 700,000 kW, catering to the increased power demand in the northern Shizuishan region, thereby supporting the economic growth of the Shizuishan area and playing a pivotal role in advancing the region's high-quality development.
The project involves traversing through Pingluo county and Huinong district of Shizuishan city. Most of the poles and towers are situated in complex terrains such as farmland, wetlands and saline-alkali soil. The newly constructed line crosses over several significant transportation hubs and high-voltage transmission lines, including the Baotou-Lanzhou Railway, Baotou-Yinchuan High-speed Railway and Wuma Expressway, posing great challenges to the project construction. In the face of such a complex environment, the Shizuishan Power Supply Company of the State Grid has meticulously organized and carefully deployed its efforts.
They have convened multiple thematic meetings to discuss and study the optimized construction scheme for the power grid in northern Ningxia. By taking multiple measures simultaneously, working in unity and collaboration, and overcoming difficulties, they have made every effort to effectively advance the project construction. First, efficiently advance the early stages of the project. Establish a dedicated team to actively coordinate and spearhead the development of supporting power supply schemes, efficiently facilitate project initiation and implementation, and complete all pre-project procedures within 20 days, thereby achieving the goal of expediting the early stages and compressing the construction period.
Second, always prioritize safety. Strictly adhere to the "six four" management requirements, and diligently conduct safety training for all staff, as well as hidden danger investigations and other related tasks. Deepen the demonstration and leadership of "party building + infrastructure", carry out activities such as "no violations around party members", fully leverage the exemplary and vanguard role of Party members and effectively ensure the safety and stability of project construction.
Third, earnestly fulfill work responsibilities. Implement the project leader's responsibility system for designated projects, focusing on key tasks such as risk control, safety inspections, and emergency management for designated projects. Emphasize control over key links from approval to commencement, reverse the construction timeline and utilize wall charts for operational planning, ensuring the safe, high-quality and efficient completion of key projects. Fourth, vigorously promote mechanized construction. Further advance the application of new construction methods, processes and equipment, achieving a 100 percent mechanization rate for line engineering foundations, tower assembly and stringing.
Bold attempts have been made to apply new technologies such as screw anchors, actively learn and apply the new technology of visual tension stringing and implement cross-disciplinary autonomous application of technological innovations for UAV acceptance. The "mechanized substitution and intelligent personnel reduction" have been effectively implemented.
While intensifying efforts to complete the power grid construction in northern Ningxia, the State Grid Shizuishan Power Supply Company, focusing on the "100-day Challenge", is accelerating the pace and overcoming difficulties to fully advance the construction of power grid infrastructure and supporting projects for industrial expansion. The company has successfully completed the expansion of Jing'an No 3 main transformer and the construction of the Huinong-Baofeng secondary power grid.
Currently, it is vigorously promoting the 220 kV line distribution project of the Fengsui 750 kV substation. The company has made every effort to tackle the challenges posed by supporting projects for major initiatives, successfully completing the construction of supporting power grid projects for key projects such as the Baotou-Yinchuan high-speed railway, Haili Electronics and Kunrong New Materials, effectively ensuring the power consumption for the newly added 480,000 kilovolt-ampere load.
The 220 kV power transmission and transformation project from Jing'an to polysilicon was completed in four months, and the two-way 60 km line from Shahu to polysilicon was completed in 225 days, which was 70 percent shorter than the normal construction period, fully guaranteeing the power demand of key investment enterprises and customers in the autonomous region and in Shizuishan.
In the next step, the State Grid Shizuishan Power Supply Company will adhere to the principle of "prioritizing the development of power rather than letting development wait for power", scientifically plan the power grid construction projects for 2025, focus on advancing 13 ongoing projects including the Fengsui distribution project and the Shuguang power transmission and transformation project and initiate four new projects such as the Xinghai power transmission and transformation project.
The company will work diligently to ensure effective implementation, continuously leveraging the supportive role of electricity in stabilizing the economy, ensuring growth and promoting development. The company is committed to serving the construction of Shizuishan as an industrial transformation demonstration city, thereby making new and greater contributions to shaping Shizuishan as a pioneer in modernization and composing a beautiful chapter for the city.