Unit 6 of CHN Energy Ningxia Electric Power's Zhongwei Power Plant in north-central China successfully completed a 168-hour trial operation on October 2. This marks the full commissioning of all four 660-megawatt peak-shaving units supporting China's first large-scale renewable energy base in desertified areas.
The Ningxia Tengger Renewable Energy Base is supported by the ±800-kilovolt ultra-high-voltage direct-current transmission project from Ningxia to Hunan in central China. It includes 13 million kilowatts of renewable energy projects, comprising 4 million kilowatts of wind power and 9 million kilowatts of solar power, as well as 4.64 million kilowatts of coal-fired power capacity for peak shaving. As a key peak-shaving power source for the base, Zhongwei Power Plant, now fully operational, will provide stable support for transmitting green electricity from the Ningxia Tengger Renewable Energy Base. Focusing on the need for deep peak shaving, the project can respond to peak demand, reduce output during low-demand periods, follow load changes, and start and stop flexibly. By coupling with renewable power generation at the base, it addresses challenges in integrating and utilizing renewable energy and provides stable power and voltage support for transmitting green electricity to Hunan.
Positioned as a peak-shaving power source for the large-scale renewable energy base in desert areas, the Gobi and other arid areas, the project has taken the lead in driving coal-fired power generation from its traditional role as the primary source of electricity supply toward serving as a key support for the power system. It will effectively smooth intermittent fluctuations in wind and solar power output and ensure large-scale utilization of renewable energy. The four 660-megawatt units are designed to generate 11.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and can support the stable transmission of 22 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy. The project will provide a replicable and scalable CHN Energy model for the large-scale development of a new power system during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
