Inner Mongolia Xilin power station

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Xilin power station (蒙能锡林热电厂一期) is a 1,300-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.

Location

The photo below shows the power station in Xilinhot.

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Background on Plant

The first two coal-fired units of Xilin power station, totaling 600 MW, were brought online in 2007. The plant is owned by Inner Mongolia Asset Management Bureau.

Expansion

In 2007 Inner Mongolia Asset Management Bureau said it was planning to add two more units to the power station of 660 MW each.

Construction on two units of 350 MW each began in 2015, and appear to have supplanted plans for the two 660 MW units. Commissioning is planned for the fourth quarter of 2017.

Nationwide Restrictions Imposed on Development of Coal-Fired Power Capacity

In 2016 China's National Energy Administration issued "scale control" (coal-fired capacity limits) on particular "sending out" locations that feed ultra-high voltage (UHV) long-distance power lines, including Inner Mongolia (Xilingong), Inner Mongolia (Ordos), Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Xinjiang.

As of January 2017, the affected area includes this power station, and units 3-4 may be scaled down as a result. For details, see China's 2016 Restrictions on Development of Coal-Fired Power Capacity.

2017: Unit 4 expansion postponed by government

In July 2017, the NEA released the "Guideline of Supply-Side Reform of the Coal Power Bubble". The Guideline included a draft list which slowed down or halted 185 coal-burning units across 21 provinces, totaling 107 GW. 114 coal units (65 GW) are ordered to slow down the construction progress during 2017 to 2020, and are not allowed to connect to the grid in 2017. In addition, 71 coal units (42 GW) were halted indefinitely for regulation violations. The list partly overlapped with the projects listed in the January NEA letter to 13 provinces.

Inner Mongolia Xilin power station Unit 4 is among the postponed coal-burning units, and also appeared on an updated list of postponements released in September 2017.

For more information, see China's 2016/2017 Restrictions on Development of Coal-Fired Power Capacity.

2018: Construction ongoing

Planet satellite imagery from June 2017 to May 2018 shows construction ongoing for both unit 3 and unit 4.

November 2018: Unit 3 commissioned

Unit 3 was commissioned in November 2018.

January 2019: Unit 4 commissioned

Unit 4 was commissioned on January 28, 2019.

Plant Details for Existing Units 1 & 2

• Sponsor: Inner Mongolia Energy Generation & Investment Group
• Parent company: Inner Mongolia Asset Management Bureau
• Location: 161 Xilin Avenue, Xilinhot City, Xilingol Prefecture, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
• Coordinates: 43.9844315, 116.1305737 (exact)
• Status: Operating
• Gross capacity: 600 MW (Units 1 & 2: 300 MW)
• Type: Subcritical
• In service: 2007
• Coal type:
• Coal source:
• Source of financing:

Project Details for Units 3 & 4 Expansion

• Sponsor: Inner Mongolia Energy Investment
• Parent company:
• Location: Xilinhot City, Xilingol Prefecture, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
• Coordinates: 43.9844315, 116.1305737 (exact)
• Status: Operating
• Gross capacity: 700 MW (Units 3 & 4: 350 MW)
• Type: Supercritical
• Start year: 2018 (Unit 3), 2019 (Unit 4)
• Coal type: Lignite
• Coal source:
• Source of financing:

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