124
Z. Lu and G. Zhu
Table 4.3 9 mega coal power
bases in China
Region
(Planned) installed capacity
(10,000 kW)
Xilingol
1588
Ordos
3858
Northern, Central and Eastern
Shanxi
9200
Northern Shaanxi
4200
Hami
4000
Zhundong
1320
Ningdong
1600
Total
25,766
are the Three Gorges Dam—the world’s biggest hydroelectric power facility with an
installed capacity of 22.5 million kW, Xiluodu Hydropower Station with an installed
capacity of 12.6 million kW and Baihetan Hydropower Station with an installed
capacity of 12 million kW.
4.2.2.2 Distribution of Thermal Power Plants in China
Thermal power plants can be powered by coal, gas and oil. The fact that China is
rich in coal, but poor in other forms of energy resources such as gas dictates that
coal-fired power plants have been the dominant source of electricity in the country.
China’s coal-fired power capacity stood at 1.00845 billion kW at the end of 2018,
accounting for 88.1% of the total installed thermal power capacity. The Energy
Development Strategy Action Plan (2014–2020) released by the State Council in
June 2014 called for utilizing the most cutting-edge energy-saving, water-saving and
environmentally-friendly power generation technology to facilitate the building of
9 10 million-kW-plus mega coal power bases in Xilingol, Ordos, northern Shanxi,
central Shanxi, eastern Shanxi, northern Shaanxi, Hami, Zhundong and Ningdong.
The 9 coal power bases are listed in Table 4.3.
As can be seen from Table 4.3, these nine large-scale coal power bases are situated
far from the load centers in central and eastern China. Consequently, the UHV power
grid has become the premier choice for connecting the mega coal power bases to the
load centers.
4.2.2.3 Distribution of Nuclear Power Capacity in China
The vast amounts of water are demanded by nuclear power plant for cooling, therefore
using seawater as a cooling source is an advantage of nuclear power plants usually
built in coastal area. All nuclear power plants in operation on the Chinese mainland
are located in the coastal province such as Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang,
Z. Lu and G. Zhu
Table 4.3 9 mega coal power
bases in China
Region
(Planned) installed capacity
(10,000 kW)
Xilingol
1588
Ordos
3858
Northern, Central and Eastern
Shanxi
9200
Northern Shaanxi
4200
Hami
4000
Zhundong
1320
Ningdong
1600
Total
25,766
are the Three Gorges Dam—the world’s biggest hydroelectric power facility with an
installed capacity of 22.5 million kW, Xiluodu Hydropower Station with an installed
capacity of 12.6 million kW and Baihetan Hydropower Station with an installed
capacity of 12 million kW.
4.2.2.2 Distribution of Thermal Power Plants in China
Thermal power plants can be powered by coal, gas and oil. The fact that China is
rich in coal, but poor in other forms of energy resources such as gas dictates that
coal-fired power plants have been the dominant source of electricity in the country.
China’s coal-fired power capacity stood at 1.00845 billion kW at the end of 2018,
accounting for 88.1% of the total installed thermal power capacity. The Energy
Development Strategy Action Plan (2014–2020) released by the State Council in
June 2014 called for utilizing the most cutting-edge energy-saving, water-saving and
environmentally-friendly power generation technology to facilitate the building of
9 10 million-kW-plus mega coal power bases in Xilingol, Ordos, northern Shanxi,
central Shanxi, eastern Shanxi, northern Shaanxi, Hami, Zhundong and Ningdong.
The 9 coal power bases are listed in Table 4.3.
As can be seen from Table 4.3, these nine large-scale coal power bases are situated
far from the load centers in central and eastern China. Consequently, the UHV power
grid has become the premier choice for connecting the mega coal power bases to the
load centers.
4.2.2.3 Distribution of Nuclear Power Capacity in China
The vast amounts of water are demanded by nuclear power plant for cooling, therefore
using seawater as a cooling source is an advantage of nuclear power plants usually
built in coastal area. All nuclear power plants in operation on the Chinese mainland
are located in the coastal province such as Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang,