Chongqing- On November 15, the No.1 unit of the Chongqing Power Plant environmental protection relocation project, located in the Chongqing Wansheng Economic Development Zone, entered the ignition commissioning stage. This relocated energy heart for Chongqing is equipped with an ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation technique, a world-leading technology.

Provided 60% of Chongqing's power in 1954

The relocation project will build two 660,000 kilowatts high-efficiency ultra-supercritical coal-fired wet cooling power generation units, driving the annual power generation to 6.3 billion kilowatt-hours. It will become a critical power pillar in the central urban area of Chongqing. 

Chongqing is not only a new, exclusive municipality directly under the Central Government in southwest China but also an old industrial city.

In 1954, the Chongqing Power Plant was built in Jiulongpo District, which provided 60% of Chongqing's electricity, the energy heart of Chongqing. After continuous construction, it became the largest thermal power plant in southwest China.

In 2015, the plant was relocated for environmental protection. The power plant family area has become a community park in this year's urban renewal. The industrial site will be built into Chongqing Art Park. The two chimneys are expected to be renovated as lighthouses and continue to illuminate Chongqing.

Ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation technology

China started this technology behind developed countries until the relocation project also achieved technological upgrading.

"Thermal power generation uses coal to boil water to turn water into steam, which then drives the turbine to rotate, thus generating electricity," said the related person in charge of the Chongqing Power Plant. "The higher the steam pressure and temperature, the higher the generation efficiency."

Coal power production is called ultra-supercritical when the steam temperature in the furnace is not less than 593 ℃ or the central steam pressure is not less than 25 to 31 MPa. When such high parameters apply to power generation technology, deems as ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation technology.

It is universally recognized that every ten g/kWh reductions in coal consumption in the thermal power field represent a new generation of technology. For 15 years, China has deployed the million-kilowatt ultra-supercritical high-efficiency power generation technology. Currently, the minimum coal consumption can reach 263 grams per kilowatt hour, remaining at the advanced global level.

This technology has also been promoted nationwide, accounting for 26% of the total installed capacity of coal power units.

Through using a vast domestic market and independent research and development, many listed companies are now equipped with 600℃ ultra-supercritical units, laying a solid foundation for the next generation of technology.

In addition, the new site was upgraded with the leading national environmental protection technology, the near-zero emission solution, and can effectively eliminate acid rain and gypsum rain. The acid rain and gypsum rain are corrosive and will pollute the power plant and the surrounding environment.

Furthermore, the two units adopt the circulating water supply system with a natural draft cooling tower, which can significantly reduce water consumption and achieve zero wastewater discharge. The project will build environmental protection devices to achieve ultra-low air pollutants emissions.

(Tan Jingyue, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)