Focus of the two sessions | Provide safe and reliable energy guarantee for Chinese path to moderniza

Energy security is related to the overall economic and social development. This year's government work report proposes to "strengthen the construction of security capabilities in key areas", "strengthen energy and resource security guarantees, and increase the exploration and development of oil, gas, and strategic mineral resources".

In 2023, China's industrial power generation above designated size reached 8.9 trillion kilowatt hours, providing strong support for economic growth to stabilize and recover, and the gross domestic product (GDP) exceeded 126 trillion yuan. Faced with the expected GDP growth target of around 5% this year, how can the energy and power industry better play a fundamental role in ensuring high-quality economic and social development? The representative committee members engaged in heated discussions on this matter.

Promote the construction of ultra-high voltage and other power infrastructure to enhance the ability of power supply guarantee

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China has accelerated the construction of a new energy system and continuously strengthened its energy security foundation, providing strong support for economic and social development. At the same time, it should also be noted that China's energy development still faces a series of challenges such as huge demand pressure, many supply constraints, and the arduous task of green and low-carbon transformation.

According to the prediction of the China Electricity Council, the total electricity consumption in China will increase by about 6% in 2024 compared to 2023. Based on China's resource endowment, how can we further enhance the power supply guarantee capacity and meet the growing electricity demand of the whole society? The government work report proposes to "strengthen the construction of large-scale wind and photovoltaic bases and external transmission channels, promote the development and utilization of distributed energy, develop new energy storage, promote the use of green electricity and international mutual recognition, play the role of coal and coal-fired power as a backup, and ensure the energy demand for economic and social development."

In recent years, State Grid Corporation of China has put into operation a large number of "West East Power Transmission" and "North South Power Supply" energy and power arteries. As of the end of 2023, a total of 35 ultra-high voltage projects have been completed, effectively ensuring the safe and reliable supply of electricity. Many representatives and members have high hopes for the construction of ultra-high voltage and other power infrastructure.

± 800 kV Baihetan Jiangsu Ultra High Voltage DC Project Line

Gansu Province is rich in wind and solar resources, with wind and solar energy technology development ranking fourth and fifth in the country, respectively. Currently, Jiuquan has built a 10 million kilowatt wind power base and four million kilowatt photovoltaic power generation bases, with a new energy installed capacity exceeding 50 million kilowatts. Huang Baorong, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Gansu Province, hopes to accelerate the construction of ultra-high voltage transmission channels from Gansu to Shandong and Zhejiang, and make every effort to build a hub type power grid. He also hopes to strengthen the construction of inter provincial communication lines with Xinjiang, Shaanxi, and Ningxia, further highlighting the hub position of Gansu power grid.

Shanxi is a major energy province. The Shanxi delegation participating in the second session of the 14th National People's Congress closely combines the actual situation of our province and plans to put forward suggestions in eight aspects, one of which is to promote the construction of the Changnan Second Circuit Ultra High Voltage and other channels to enhance Shanxi's power transmission capacity.

At the end of February, China's first ultra-high voltage project, which mainly focuses on transporting new energy from the "Sage Wilderness" region, the ± 800 kV Ningxia Hunan ultra-high voltage direct current project, fully resumed work. Yang Hongming, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, deputy chairman of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Democratic Construction of China, and executive vice president of the School of Electrical and Information Engineering at Changsha University of Technology, has been closely monitoring the progress of this project. In her view, fully leveraging the advantages of the power grid as a whole and strengthening inter regional and inter provincial power grid connections and mutual assistance are important measures to enhance the power supply guarantee capacity.

"Based on the energy resource endowment of Hunan Province, which is oil-free, coal scarce, and gas scarce, I believe that we should accelerate the implementation of the Hunan Guangdong Interconnection Project and the third ultra-high voltage direct current transmission project to Hunan, and build Hunan Province into a regional power exchange hub that connects the west to the east and the south to the north, effectively ensuring the safe and stable supply of electricity in the province and even in the central and western regions in the medium and long term." Yang Hongming said.

Coordinate the development of new energy and accelerate the construction of a new energy system for national energy security

On February 29th, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held its twelfth collective study on the relationship between new energy technology and China's energy security.  

In 2023, the installed capacity of renewable energy generation in China has historically exceeded that of thermal power generation, with over half of the world's new installed capacity added throughout the year. Renewable energy has become a new force in ensuring power supply in China.

　　The government work report proposes to actively and steadily promote carbon peak and carbon neutrality, deepen the energy revolution, control fossil energy consumption, and accelerate the construction of a new energy system. How to better coordinate development and security under the background of "dual carbon"? Liu Hanyuan, a National People's Congress representative, Vice Chairman of the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tongwei Group, believes that energy storage plays a crucial role in promoting the large-scale and high proportion development of renewable energy. "Among various energy storage methods, pumped storage is currently the most mature and cost-effective energy storage technology." Liu Hanyuan suggested focusing on large-scale construction of pumped storage projects during the "14th Five Year Plan" and "15th Five Year Plan" periods, and completing them in 5 to 10 years, synchronous or even moderately ahead of the transformation and upgrading of the power grid.

The "Shagehuang" photovoltaic base located in Lingwu City, Ningxia, continuously delivers green electricity。

In order to better promote the development of new energy, State Grid Corporation of China actively serves the construction of large-scale wind and solar power bases in deserts, Gobi, and deserts. The cumulative installed capacity of new energy power generation connected to the grid has reached 860 million kilowatts, with a utilization rate of over 97%, achieving a simultaneous increase in the quantity and rate of new energy development. Zhong Baoshen, a National People's Congress representative and Chairman of Longji Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd., believes that there is an urgent need to formulate overall plans, implementation progress, task allocation, and cost sharing mechanisms for the integration and renovation of distribution networks in various provinces, in order to break the bottleneck of distributed new energy development during the 14th and 15th Five Year Plans.

In addition, representative members have put forward suggestions from the perspectives of improving laws, regulations, and institutional construction. Zhang Tianren, a National People's Congress representative and Chairman of Tianneng Holdings Group, suggested revising the Renewable Energy Law of the People's Republic of China, hoping to further improve the fully guaranteed acquisition system, formulate a scientific and reasonable assessment mechanism, optimize and adjust electricity price subsidies, refine relevant legal liability clauses, promote the healthy development of the industry, and ensure reliable power supply.

Effectively ensuring people's livelihoods and empowering high-quality economic and social development through electricity production for enterprises

"As a pharmaceutical equipment manufacturing enterprise, we have high requirements for the stability and reliability of production electricity. In February of this year, Hunan Province experienced prolonged and intense rain, snow, and freezing weather. Power supply enterprises prepared emergency plans in advance and carried out power repairs in a timely manner, effectively ensuring the daily production electricity consumption of the enterprise, giving us a 'reassuring pill' for continuous and stable production." When it comes to the role of electricity in economic and social development, Tang Yue, a National People's Congress representative and Chairman and President of Chutian Technology Co., Ltd., shared his recent personal experience.

In 2023, China's total electricity consumption exceeded 9.2 trillion kilowatt hours, a year-on-year increase of 6.7%. The electricity consumption of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries increased by 11.5%, 6.5%, and 12.2% respectively. A stable and reliable power supply injects strong momentum into economic and social development.

  Vigorously promoting the construction of a modern industrial system is inseparable from a strong and reliable power guarantee.

Tan Chengxu, a National People's Congress representative and Chairman and Party Secretary of Ansteel Group, stated that the energy and power industry also plays a fundamental role in the development of new quality productive forces. "The rapid development of new energy will bring certain challenges to the safe operation of the power system and the reliable supply of electricity. We hope that power grid enterprises will continue to increase their efforts in technological innovation, accelerate the construction of a strong digital power grid, actively promote the consumption of new energy, and better meet the electricity needs of people's lives and enterprise production." Tan Chengxu said.

State Grid Chongqing Changshou Power Supply Company conducted inspections on the charging stations in the Changshou Service Area of the Chongqing Changshou Double Line Expressway.

Representatives and members from the grassroots level are equally concerned about electricity consumption issues. The government work report proposes to "vigorously improve rural infrastructure and public services such as water, electricity, gas, and information." Yang Guangqi, Secretary of the Party General Branch and Director of the Village Committee of Jinjilong Village, Xinhang Town, Guangde City, Anhui Province, suggested that power supply enterprises promote the effective connection between rural power grid transformation and upgrading and rural construction, further play the role of "village network co construction" as a convenient service point for electricity, and establish a "point-to-point" power supply service guarantee mechanism, Transforming the advantage of electricity into development momentum, helping to improve rural living environment and promote comprehensive rural revitalization.

The government work report proposes to vigorously develop a green and low-carbon economy. Promote the green transformation of industrial structure, energy structure, transportation structure, and urban-rural construction. In recent years, the development of new energy vehicles has ushered in a "spring". State Grid Corporation of China has built a fast charging network for highways with "Ten Verticals, Ten Horizontals, and Two Rings" as the backbone. The State Grid Smart Vehicle Networking Platform has accumulated access to over 510000 start stop charging stations and registered users exceeding 25 million. National People's Congress representative and Chairman and CEO of Xiaopeng Motors, He Xiaopeng, stated that the vehicle mounted power battery has the property of mobile energy storage and can interact with the power grid as a large-scale, distributed and flexible resource, further playing the role of peak shaving and valley filling in power grid regulation, and assisting in real-time balance and safe operation of the power grid.

Energy security and safety are closely related to the national economy and people's livelihood, and they are the "great things of the country" that cannot be ignored for a moment. Since the convening of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, representatives and members from various industries have expressed high concern for ensuring national energy security and actively offered suggestions and suggestions. On the new journey, with the concerted efforts of all sectors of society, the energy and power industry will be able to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring supply more firmly, better serve the high-quality development of economy and society, and provide safe and reliable energy security for the construction of Chinese path to modernization.