People's Daily | Coordinated Planning Advances the Steady Progress of Building an Energy Powerhouse

In March this year, during his inspection in Xiong'an New Area in Hebei, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Energy issues are strategic issues in development" and "we must firmly adhere to a path of clean and low-carbon development".

In the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan", affected by factors such as geopolitical conflicts, oil prices in some countries have fluctuated sharply and supply shortages have occurred. In contrast, within China, energy resource supply has remained stable and well-regulated, with sufficient energy guaranteed for both production and daily life. This is attributed to China's efforts to "accelerate the development of a new energy system that is clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient", which provides a solid foundation for building China into a leading energy power.

One in the east, one in the west -- two "world records" witnessing the vivid landscape of building an energy powerhouse

In Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, construction is in full swing at Huaneng Yuhuan Power Plant, where the world's first 650°C high-efficiency ultra-supercritical coal-fired generating unit is being built. More than 700 pile foundations in the main plant and boiler areas have already been completed, and installation of the boiler steel structure is now underway.

"The core pressure-bearing component of the unit—the high-pressure inner cylinder—has recently achieved a single-shot casting of a high-temperature alloy component weighing over 50 tons", said Yuan Yong, chief expert at the Huaneng Xi'an Thermal Power Research Institute. This "steel heart" is expected to be completed and installed by the end of this year. Once operational, the unit will significantly improve the clean and efficient utilization of coal power.

In Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, construction is also progressing rapidly at the Lianghekou Pumped Storage Power Station—the world's largest hybrid pumped-storage hydropower project. Work is currently underway on concrete pouring for the main powerhouse and electromechanical installation. Meanwhile, the Kelan Phase II photovoltaic project and the Maoniushan wind power project are also being advanced simultaneously, continuously accelerating progress on the Yalong River basin integrated hydropower–wind–solar base.

“The integrated base features multi-energy complementarity and strong long-term regulation capabilities. During the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, its installed capacity is expected to increase from nearly 23 million kilowatts to about 40 million kilowatts, with annual power generation projected to reach 130 billion kilowatt-hours", said Zhang Dongming, on-site commander of the Lianghekou pumped-storage project under SDIC Corporation.

"Deeply implementing the new strategy for energy security, accelerating the development of a new energy system that is clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient, and building an energy powerhouse" —key initiatives outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan are being rapidly implemented and turned into reality.

Innovation-led development: stronger capacity in energy technology breakthroughs

In Hefei, Anhui Province, the construction of the Compact Fusion Energy Experimental Device (BEST) is progressing steadily, with the potential to achieve a demonstration of fusion-based power generation around 2030.

In Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China’s first 500,000-ton biomass green alcohol-to-oil demonstration project has officially started construction, aiming to overcome key technological challenges in the efficient synthesis of green alcohol fuels.

In Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, the first independently developed new energy grid-forming stabilizer has been put into operation. It can effectively isolate the mutual impact of electrical faults between renewable energy systems and the power grid.

Focusing on key energy sectors and major national needs, China is accelerating the research, development, and application of next-generation coal power technologies and flexible HVDC power transmission for grids. Major breakthroughs are also being pursued in long-duration energy storage, green hydrogen-to-ammonia-to-methanol conversion, and controllable nuclear fusion. A wave of new technologies and emerging industries is rapidly taking shape.

During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, an official from the National Energy Administration stated that China will better coordinate development and security by improving spatial planning for energy development, accelerating the construction of new energy infrastructure, fostering new quality productive forces in the energy sector, and expanding high-level opening-up in energy cooperation. These efforts will support the building of a strong energy nation through a modern energy system.

( Source: People's Daily )