"Bright Road" illuminates the new Yushu in Qinghai

China Energy Storage Network News: Bustling with traffic and full of vitality, this is the new Yushu that has evolved over the past decade; flashing neon lights and brilliant lights, this is the night plateau illuminated by the power grid.

On June 6, 2013, as a landmark project for post-earthquake reconstruction in Yushu, the 330 kV interconnection project between Yushu power grid and Qinghai main grid was put into operation, which fundamentally solved the long-term power shortage problem in Yushu area, ended the history of isolated operation of Yushu power grid, and ushered in the era of large power grid in Yushu. In the seven years since the project was put into operation, a total of 820 million kWh of electricity has been delivered to Yushu, and 130 million kWh of surplus electricity in summer has been delivered to Yushu.

■ The small town in Jiangyuan is full of electricity and is revitalized

As night falls, the lights in the Tibetan residents' homes light up, the street lights on both sides of the street light up, and the light strips on the buildings light up. The lights in Yushu are charming and gorgeous at night. This is a small city in the source of the river that is beautified by the power grid artery.

Before the large power grid came into being, the Yushu power grid was an independent small power grid far away from the main power grid in Qinghai. It mainly relied on local small hydropower and photovoltaic power stations for power supply. Each power station operated independently, the power grid foundation was weak, and the power supply reliability was poor. It could not fully meet the normal electricity demand of residents during the summer flood season. During the winter dry season, the hydropower station's power generation capacity decreased or was even forced to shut down, while the people's electricity demand increased, resulting in a serious imbalance between electricity supply and demand.

On June 6, 2013, the Yushu 330 kV interconnection project was put into operation, which cleared the energy bottleneck of Yushu and continuously delivered sufficient and stable electricity from the large power grid to thousands of households. It also provided a stable "green channel" for the export of surplus electricity from Yushu during the summer flood season, transforming Yushu's hydropower resources into economic advantages. On the basis of meeting the electricity needs of economic and social development, it further optimized Qinghai's energy resource allocation and achieved good economic and social benefits.

"In the past, there was often no electricity at home. When there was electricity, the light bulbs were not bright enough and household appliances could not be used normally. It was common for light bulbs to burn out due to unstable voltage, and the washing machine at home was also prone to break down." Herder Ga Jiangcai said, "Now, we don't have to worry about electricity at all. There is plenty of electricity. We can use high-power appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and induction cookers at will. In the summer, we don't have to worry about fresh meat and vegetables going bad."

In the nearly seven years since the project was put into operation, the Yushu Internet Project has played an increasingly important role in people's livelihood. With the guarantee of clean, green and sufficient electricity, the infrastructure construction in the Yushu region has been rapidly and steadily advanced. Herders have switched from traditional grazing to greenhouse vegetable planting. Many people have begun to use electrical equipment to carve Mani stones to develop characteristic industries. Ecological tourism has become a new economic growth point in Yushu as a leading industry, and has also driven the vigorous development of ethnic characteristic industries.

■ Green electricity protects the source of rivers and green mountains

The ancestor of thousands of mountains, the Chinese water tower, the thousand-year-old snow and glaciers, the dreamlike sparkling waves, this is a quiet and pristine plateau pure land. The Yushu Internet Project, this energy artery crosses rivers and mountains, protecting the green waters and green mountains at the source of rivers.

"Yushu's biggest advantage is its ecology, and its most famous brand is also ecology." "Yushu's reconstruction must adhere to ecological priority, scientific planning, and equal emphasis on protection and development." Yushu is located in the core area of ​​the National Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve, and ecological protection is of paramount importance.

Before the large power grid was connected to Yushu, there was insufficient electricity supply. Many residents relied on candles and butter lamps to survive. Commercial users and some office spaces had diesel and gasoline generators for a long time. Boiling water, cooking and winter heating all depended on cow dung and coal, which affected the local green ecological environment. With the access of the large power grid and the continuous extension of the distribution network, the herders in Yushu have not only realized the transformation from "using electricity" to "using electricity well", but also made full use of the advantages of green, clean and environmentally friendly electricity, playing the "ecological card" well.

Thanks to the government and power supply companies' promotion and popularization of ecological and environmental protection knowledge and their continuous efforts, the people of Yushu are becoming more and more aware of the need to protect the environment of their homeland. More and more residential houses, hotels, restaurants, pastoral homestays and other places have achieved electricity substitution, and people are using clean, green and environmentally friendly electricity for heating and cooking. The coverage of clean heating in the prefecture is constantly expanding.

According to calculations, after the implementation of "coal to electricity", heating costs have dropped significantly and heating effects have been significantly improved. At the same time, the amount of coal and cow dung burned has been significantly reduced. In the seven years since the access to the large power grid, Yushu has reduced coal consumption by more than 100,000 tons and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 262,000 tons. Local water, wind, light and other resources do not need to be further developed, effectively protecting the local natural ecological environment.

■ Careful operation and maintenance to ensure stable delivery of clean energy

The clear water of the river flows quietly, and the endless current "hums softly" between the sky, earth and mountains. Since the project was put into operation, the Yushu power grid has been running smoothly and the power supply is safe and reliable.

Over the past seven years, State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company has continued to strengthen the operation and management of the power grid. Operation and maintenance personnel have carefully guarded the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in view of the large temperature difference between day and night, strong radiation, high altitude, low air pressure, high cold and strong winds, and improved the health level of equipment through standardized, professional and lean operation and maintenance.

"Over the past seven years, we have comprehensively improved the grid operation and maintenance management level through annual maintenance, daily inspections and fault elimination, and power supply during holidays. We conduct regular inspections and fault elimination, and regularly carry out special inspections, hidden danger management, and drone inspections based on the grid operation status and external environmental factors. We carry out centralized maintenance once a year, and continue to work hard on "strictness" and "details", and do our utmost to ensure the stable operation of the grid with a high sense of responsibility and mission. At the same time, we actively explore and apply various new technologies, and carry out engineering operation and maintenance work with scientific technical means." said Wang Dongfu, director of the Xining Operation and Maintenance Branch of the State Grid Qinghai Maintenance Company, who is responsible for engineering operation and maintenance.

Operation and maintenance personnel continue to improve their own operation and maintenance capabilities, strengthen line inspections, and gradually apply new technologies and processes such as drones, laser obstacle clearers, and "X-ray" non-destructive testing to improve the quality of operation and maintenance.

It is understood that large birds are active frequently near the Yushu interconnection project, which has had a serious impact on the safe and stable operation of the project. After continuous research and exploration, State Grid Qinghai Electric Power proposed to use "life nests" to achieve the social responsibility of harmonious coexistence between the people of the Tibetan area at the source of the Three Rivers, native birds and the new power grid, and gradually implemented it, changing from the previous "bird driving and bird prevention" to "bird attracting and bird protection", building artificial bird nests for birds in the safe area with the smallest radiation on the transmission tower, and guiding birds to inhabit and nest in the safe area of ​​the tower. The company has installed a total of 240 artificial bird nests, resolving the "bird-line" contradiction and achieving harmonious coexistence between people, birds and transmission lines.

Thanks to the careful protection and unremitting efforts of the operation and maintenance personnel, the safety operation and maintenance level of the Yushu Internet connection project has continued to rise, and the ecology along the line has also been continuously improving.

"Bright Yushu", a monument commemorating this milestone project, stands in the Yushu 330 kV substation, solemn and radiant. "Thousands of soldiers of the State Grid climbed the peaks without fear of heights and faced dangers without fear of difficulties." "The great cause of the ages will benefit the present and illuminate the future, and will be praised for eternity!" The inscription engraved in both Chinese and Tibetan on the back of the monument truly records the hard work and selfless dedication of the project builders.