Introduction to the Four Major Electric Power Research Institutes in my country

China Energy Storage Network: In China's electric energy industry, there are currently four major state-owned power research institutes active, namely, the Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, the Institute of Electric Power Research, the China Water Resources Planning and Design Institute, and the China Electric Power Planning and Design Institute. Their full names and affiliations are shown in the table below:

The brief introductions of the four major power research institutes are as follows:

Institute of Water Science

China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research is affiliated to the Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China. It is a national social public welfare scientific research institution engaged in water resources and hydropower scientific research.

The institute is located at No. 1 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing (South Campus) and No. 20 Chegongzhuang West Road (North Campus), as well as the Daxing Experimental Base and the Yanqing Experimental Base. Outside Beijing, there are the Pastoral Water Conservancy Science Research Institute in Hohhot and the Water Conservancy, Electric Power and Electromechanical Research Institute in Tianjin.

The history of the Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research can be traced back to 1933. Its predecessor was China's earliest water conservancy scientific research institution - China First Hydraulic Experiment Station. After several changes, in 1958, with the approval of the State Council Planning Committee, a number of domestic water conservancy and hydropower research units were merged to form the Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. In 1994, it was approved by the State Science and Technology Commission to be renamed the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research.

Institute of Electrical Engineering

China Electric Power Research Institute Co., Ltd. (CEPRI) was established in 1951. It is a scientific research unit directly under the State Grid Corporation of China and a multidisciplinary and comprehensive scientific research institution in China's power industry.

It is mainly engaged in the research of ultra-high/ultra-high voltage AC/DC transmission and transformation technology, power grid planning analysis and safety control technology, transmission and transformation engineering design and construction technology, power distribution and utilization technology, as well as new energy, new materials, power electronics, information and communication, energy efficiency evaluation and energy conservation. The research scope covers all aspects of power science and related fields.

Note: China Electric Power Research Institute has never been separated from the power grid during the two reforms. Initially, it belonged to the Electric Power Bureau and the State Power Corporation. After the reform, it has always belonged to the State Grid. China Electric Power Research Institute is the "own son" unit of the State Grid.

China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research

The predecessor of the China Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Institute was the China Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Institute jointly managed by the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Water Resources. In 1982, it was named the China Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Institute of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power, and in 1989 it was renamed the China Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Institute of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Water Resources, a public institution jointly managed by the two ministries.

After the Ministry of Electric Power Industry was established in 1993, after consultation between the two ministries of Electric Power and Water Resources, the former Water Resources and Hydropower Planning and Design Institute was separated according to the affiliation of the two ministries. In February 1995, the Ministry of Electric Power Industry approved the establishment of the Ministry of Electric Power Industry Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Institute (also known as the Ministry of Electric Power Industry Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Administration).

After the establishment of the State Power Corporation, it was renamed the State Power Corporation Hydropower and Water Conservancy Planning and Design Institute in 1998, and was entrusted by the former State Economic and Trade Commission to be responsible for technical management and design review of the hydropower industry.

During the power system reform in 2002, China Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Institute, as a public institution approved by the State Council, became a subsidiary of China Hydropower Engineering Consulting Group Corporation.

In 2011, during the separation reform of main and auxiliary businesses of power grid enterprises and the integrated reorganization of power design and construction enterprises, in accordance with the establishment plan of Power Construction Corporation of China approved by the State Council, China Hydropower and Water Resources Planning and Design Institute was changed to be under the management of Power Construction Corporation of China.

China Electric Power Planning Institute

As a national high-end consulting agency, China Electric Power Planning and Design Institute (hereinafter referred to as CEPI) mainly provides services to government departments, financial institutions, and power-related enterprises. Its main business areas are research on power industry development strategies, industrial policies, development planning, and new power technologies, review, evaluation, and consulting of power engineering projects, scientific research and standardization, etc. It has the power engineering project evaluation qualification recognized by the National Development and Reform Commission.

In 2011, with the approval of the National Energy Administration, the National Power Planning and Research Center was established based on the China Electric Power Planning and Research Institute. Under the leadership of the National Energy Administration, it carries out research on power industry development strategies, policies and planning, research and promotion of new power technologies, collection and analysis of power information, and international exchanges and cooperation in power.

Founded in 1975, China Electric Power Planning and Design Institute was formerly known as the Planning and Design Institute of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power (Planning, Design and Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power). After several name changes, it was renamed the Electric Power Planning and Design Institute of the Ministry of Energy in November 1988, the Electric Power Planning and Design Institute of the Ministry of Electric Power Industry in May 1993, the Electric Power Planning and Design Institute of the State Power Corporation in May 1998, and the Electric Power Planning and Design Institute in March 2004.

It has been successively affiliated to the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Electric Power Industry, the State Power Corporation, and China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd. Its main responsibility is to exercise the management functions of the power planning and design industry on behalf of the ministries and commissions.

In July 2014, in accordance with the overall restructuring and listing plan of China Energy Engineering, China Electric Power Planning and Design Institute completed the qualification improvement work as the sponsor of the joint-stock company and achieved complete separation from China Electric Power Engineering.