China Strengthens Energy and Power Supply Guarantee Amid Cold Wave, Aided by Digital Intelligence
Recently, many regions in China have been affected by cold waves, with frequent snow, ice and freezing weather. The increased demand for heating energy among residents has further complicated power supply guarantee, posing challenges to stable power supply. Despite these challenges, China’s overall fuel reserves are sufficient and power supply remains stable.
Since the peak winter supply period, coal production has maintained a high level, while the domestic refined oil market has sufficient supply and stable inventories. Energy resources are the material foundation for economic and social development, and energy security is the cornerstone of safeguarding national security, related to economic prosperity, people’s living improvement and social stability.
To ensure adequate heating energy for residents, various regions have made every effort to do a good job in energy supply guarantee, taking multiple measures to ensure production, power generation and safety. With the accelerated iteration and upgrading of digital and intelligent technologies, relevant departments and energy enterprises in many places have adopted new technologies and equipment to optimize production processes and release high-quality production capacity.
In Yulin, Shaanxi Province, a mining company has built a flexible production system in its mine. Underground, coal cutters operate orderly, and coal is continuously transported to the ground via belts; on the ground, real-time production data jumps on the screen of an intelligent integrated control platform, making the operation status of the production system clear at a glance. The mine has a maximum daily output of 79,300 tons, with production capacity increased by more than 80%. Through data analysis and intelligent algorithms, the company has realized the overall optimization of production, transportation and sales, adopting a "production based on sales" model to ensure the stable supply of commercial coal.
High energy output has provided sufficient "rations" for various power plants. Many regions have built new power plants and put new units into operation to ensure stable and orderly power production, meeting the electricity needs of enterprise production and residential heating.
In Anji, Zhejiang Province, a gas-fired power plant has been put into full-capacity operation. With a total installed capacity of 1,686 megawatts for its two units and a designed efficiency of 64.15%, the plant can achieve rapid start-up and shutdown within 90 minutes as well as output adjustment, providing stable support for the peak electricity demand in the East China region during holidays.
In Baoji, Shaanxi Province, a power generation company’s "thermal storage combined regulation" project has been connected to the grid and put into operation. Integrating AI intelligent algorithms, power trading strategies and multi-type energy storage coordinated control technologies, the project realizes full-process intelligent operation relying on a digital management platform, which can accurately respond to power grid frequency modulation instructions and improve unit frequency modulation performance. It adopts a hybrid energy storage scheme of "5MW/6min super capacitor + 15MW/15MWh lithium iron phosphate battery", giving full play to the advantages of super capacitors such as high power, long service life and fast response, greatly reducing the charging and discharging pressure of lithium batteries and extending the overall service life of the system.
To cope with extreme weather interference, various regions have applied digital and intelligent technologies, increased inspection frequency and improved emergency response capabilities to ensure smooth energy transportation, stable unit operation and reliable power grid.
In Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, local maritime departments have implemented precise water transportation organization based on tides and ship schedules to shorten the time ships stay in ports and improve the efficiency of thermal coal transshipment. In Shanghai, an energy enterprise has promoted the renewal and renovation of aging gas pipelines, with a total length of more than 2,400 kilometers renovated, improving the emergency gas supply capacity. In Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, a power plant has scientifically regulated equipment operation status, refined maintenance of main and auxiliary equipment and accurately identified potential hazards to ensure efficient unit operation, supporting the "double stability and double optimization" of heating and power generation.
At the same time, power enterprises have increased the inspection intensity of power grid facilities to ensure safe power transportation. In Dongying, Shandong Province, a power supply company relies on UAV adaptive inspection technology, through "AI visual recognition + autonomous route planning", to carry out refined inspection of key transmission lines, and cooperate with on-line monitoring devices on the ground platform to build an ice prevention monitoring, early warning and emergency response system. An emergency repair team has also been set up to ensure "rapid response and quick power restoration" in case of emergencies.
To further improve the energy supply guarantee system, targeted measures have been proposed: consolidating the basic guarantee of traditional energy, continuously tracking the production and supply of coal and natural gas to ensure high inventory; accelerating the development of pumped storage and new energy storage, promoting the flexible transformation of coal-fired power, and equipping the power grid with sufficient "power banks" to stabilize new energy fluctuations; advancing power grid reinforcement projects and cross-regional power transmission channel construction, strengthening the application of line ice monitoring and melting technologies; deeply integrating AI and big data technologies to improve the level of supply and demand prediction and early warning, intelligent scheduling and emergency repair; deepening the interaction of "source-grid-load-storage", promoting the multi-energy complementary model, and giving priority to ensuring people’s livelihood electricity through price signals and load management.
With the joint efforts of all parties, China has effectively responded to the challenges brought by the cold wave, ensuring the stable supply of energy and power for residents’ heating and enterprise production. The wide application of digital and intelligent technologies has further enhanced the efficiency and reliability of energy supply guarantee, laying a solid foundation for maintaining economic and social stability during the peak winter period.
