On July 4th, the Ningxia power grid set new historical records for both new energy power generation and photovoltaic power generation, according to information from State Grid Ningxia Electric Power Company.
At 1:15 PM on July 4th, the figures reached 30.55 million kilowatts and 29.28 million kilowatts respectively, marking unprecedented highs.
Initial Steps for Peak Power Management
The period of maximum new energy output, coinciding with the summer peak electricity demand, has simultaneously increased the pressure to ensure stable power supply and transmission.
On July 7th, at the Lingzhou Converter Station, the low hum of converter transformer equipment was audible from a distance. Maintenance personnel, such as Han Huilin, were meticulously scanning components like bushings and busbar joints with infrared thermometers, checking oil levels and fan operation, and carefully recording each set of data.
Station Manager Qin Yousu explained that as a crucial hub for the "West-to-East Power Transmission" project, the Lingzhou Converter Station operates with staff on 24-hour rotational shifts, transmitting approximately 173 million kilowatt-hours of electricity daily to Zhejiang province.
Ensuring Grid Stability and Optimizing Transmission
To maintain safety standards amidst large-scale new energy integration, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region utilizes a digital dispatching platform for round-the-clock monitoring of power plants, energy storage stations, and critical grid sections.
Concurrently, it leverages the advantages of multiple inter-provincial DC transmission channels, coordinating the operation of the Yindong, Lingshao, and Zhongheng DC corridors. This strategy enhances the volume of new energy power transmitted out of the region, promoting both local consumption and cross-provincial delivery.
Pioneering Achievements in New Energy Integration
As the nation's first comprehensive demonstration zone for new energy, Ningxia has seen its installed new energy capacity continuously rise, becoming the first province in China where daily new energy generation exceeds local electricity consumption.
"The record highs in new energy and solar power generation are the result of concerted efforts from multiple parties," said Wang Yun, head of the dispatch planning department at the State Grid Ningxia Power Dispatch and Control Center.
In recent years, the autonomous region has employed a multi-source coordinated control system involving thermal power for base load, energy storage for regulation, and active support from new energy sources. This approach smooths out generation fluctuations, compensates for output shortfalls, and ensures new energy is "generated to its full potential and fully utilized." Furthermore, the implementation of coordinated "medium/long-term + spot market + auxiliary services" operations encourages energy storage stations within the region to "charge during low-demand periods and discharge during peak periods," thereby reducing deviation and curtailment of electricity.