Xinyuan Aluminum power station

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Xinyuan Aluminum power station (信源铝业茌平自备电厂) is a 3,960-megawatt (MW) captive coal-fired power plant in Shandong Province, China.

An additional 1,980MW is under construction.

Location

The undated satellite photo below shows the power station in Chiping County, Liaocheng Prefecture.

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Background on Units 1-6

Xinyuan Aluminum power station began as a 6 x 660 MW coal plant sponsored by Xinfa Group for its aluminum production. Construction began in 2013, although there is no record that the project received the required permits.

Units 1-4 were completed in mid-2015, Unit 5 in end-2015, and unit 6 in 2016. The project was touted as a “supersonic” speed of construction by owner Xinfa Group.

Units 7-9

There are an additional three units of 660 MW each proposed for the power station. As of May 2018, the three units are under construction – all without a permit, like units 1-6.

July 2017: Plant halted by government

In July 2017 China's 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.

Xinyuan Aluminum power station Units 1-9 are among the halted coal-burning units, and also appeared on an updated list of halted projects released in September 2017.

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

February 2018: Plant continues operation and construction

Despite being ordered by China's MEP in September 2017 and May 2018 to cease operations and construction at the plant for permit violations, Planet satellite images through February 2018 show the plant continues with both operation and development.

May 2018: China's MEP again tells project to cease development

In May 2018 China's MEP issued a report saying all nine units of the power station were constructed illegally, and units 7-9 should cease construction.

Construction on units 7-9 continued through August 2018, then stopped. As of June 2019 units 1-6 have continued operating.

Xinfa Group says regulation will lead to widespread lay-offs

In April 2018, Shandong Weiqiao Group and Xinfa Group responded to reports the central government planned to regulate captive coal plants by saying the regulations would lead to widespread lay-offs. According to the companies, the regulations would result in 180,000 workers losing their jobs at the Shandong Weiqiao Group, and 80,000 at Xinfa Group.

Project Details

• Sponsor: Chiping Xinyuan Aluminum
• Parent company: Xinfa Group
• Location: Chiping County, Liaocheng Prefecture, Shandong Province, China
• Coordinates: 36.615766,116.225215 (exact)
• Status: Operating (Units 1-6), Shelved (Units 7-9)
• Gross capacity: 3,960 MW (Units 1-6: 660 MW); 1,980 MW (Units 7-9: 660 MW)
• Type: Ultra-supercritical
• Projected in service: 2015 (Units 1-5), 2016 (Unit 6)
• Coal type:
• Coal source:
• Source of financing:

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