The fourth-phase expansion of Pudong Airport has achieved another significant milestone, as the supporting municipal energy center project has successfully completed the concrete structural topping-out for all its buildings. This marks a full transition into the interior finishing and equipment installation stages, with preparations underway to have equipment commissioning conditions ready by May of next year.

The Phase 4 expansion is a critical component of Shanghai's development as an international shipping hub, encompassing eight project clusters, including the T3 terminal area, airfield works, and municipal support facilities. Serving as a vital part of the municipal support works, the energy center is designed to provide the core heating and cooling functions for the future T3 terminal building.

Covering a total floor area of 22,000 square meters, the facility includes a high-voltage diesel generator room with a 35kV substation, a comprehensive energy center building, and three 24,000-cubic-meter thermal storage tanks. This latest milestone saw the structural completion of the generator room, substation, and the main energy center building.

Construction on the energy center began in September of last year. The project team overcame challenges such as relocating woodlands, filling water channels, and navigating typhoon seasons. By optimizing construction organization, scientifically allocating labor, materials, and machinery, and strictly managing every critical phase, the project completed all foundation works in March, began the inverted installation of the storage tank walls in June, and has now achieved the structural topping-out of all buildings.

Once operational, the energy center will function like an energy-saving "power bank," using low-cost nighttime electricity to store cooling and heating energy, which will then be released during daytime peak hours. This approach will provide a continuous low-carbon energy supply to the airport, help balance the regional power grid load, strengthen the airport's energy peak-shaving capabilities, and effectively reduce the airport's carbon emissions.