Shenhua Yuanyang Lake power station

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Shenhua Yuanyang Lake power station is a 3,320-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Location

The undated satellite photo below shows the plant in Yinchuan Prefecture, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

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Background on Plant

The first two coal-fired units of Shenhua Yuanyang Lake power station, totaling 1,320 MW, were brought online between 2010 and 2011. The plant was originally owned by Shenhua Group.[1]

Description of Expansion

Shenhua is planning to build two additional coal-fired units at this plant, with a total planned capacity of 2,000 MW.[2]

The units were permitted in 2015.[3] As of June 2016 they are under construction and planned for operation in 2017.[4]

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.[5]

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: Plant 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.[6]

Shenhua Yuanyang Lake power station Units 3-4 are among the postponed coal-burning units,[6] and also appeared on an updated list of postponed projects released in September 2017.[7]

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

March 2018: Project substantially completed

Satellite photos for 38.0575, 106.691389 show that the expansion project was substantially completed during the period from July 2017 to March 2018.

2019: Units 3-4 commissioned

Unit 3 was commissioned in April 2019.[8]

Unit 4 was commissioned in December 2019.[9]

Ownership

On August 28, 2017, China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) announced that China Guodian Corporation and Shenhua Group will be jointly restructured. Shenhua Group will become China National Energy Investment Group and will absorb China Guodian Corporation. It will be the largest power company in the world by installed capacity, as well as the world's largest coal producer.[10][11] The merger was completed on November 28, 2017.[12]

Project Details

  • Sponsor: National Energy Investment Group (56%), Ningxia Ningdong Development Investment (39%), Zhejiang Provincial Energy Group (5%)
  • Location: Ciyaopu Town, Lingwu City, Yinchuan Prefecture, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China
  • Coordinates: 38.0575, 106.691389 (exact)
  • Status: Operating
  • Gross capacity: 3,320 MW (Units 1 & 2: 660 MW; Units 3 & 4: 1,000 MW)
  • Type: Supercritical (Units 1 & 2); Ultra-Supercritical (Units 3 & 4)
  • Start year: 2010 (Unit 1); 2011 (Unit 2); 2019 (Unit 3-4)
  • Coal type: Bituminous
  • Coal source:
  • Source of financing:

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References

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