The first unit of China's Maerdang Hydropower Station, the highest-altitude facility of its kind with the largest installed capacity in the Yellow River basin, saw the successful hoisting of its generator rotor into position, paving the way for the entire station to be operational by the end of the year.
The giant rotor, with a total weight of 270 tons, is the core component of the water-turbine generator set. The rotor hoisting, demanding precision and skill, took 40 minutes to complete and is a key step in the unit's installation.
Located at an average altitude of 3,300 meters in northwest China's Qinghai Province, the Maerdang Hydropower Station has a total installed capacity of 2.32 million kilowatts and five hydropower generating units, which makes it a major power provider in the "west-to-east power transmission" project.
With all units put into use in December, the station is expected to generate an average of 7.3 billion kWh of electricity annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 8.16 million tons each year.
The construction marks a milestone in Qinghai's new energy development and will facilitate the establishment of more clean energy bases in the upper reaches of the Yellow River.
China's high-altitude hydropower station unit enters final assembly stage
Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, on Thursday extended Spring Festival greetings to religious leaders and believers across China.
Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with leaders of national religious groups ahead of the Chinese New Year. Heads of the Buddhist Association of China, the Taoist Association of China, the China Islamic Association, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China were present at the meeting and delivered speeches.
Wang spoke highly of the work of the religious groups in 2025, urging systematic efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and ensure law-based management of religious affairs, with the aim of contributing to the realization of Chinese modernization.
He called on the national religious groups to guide religious figures and believers to develop an accurate understanding of country, history, ethnicity, culture and religion, unite more closely around the CPC and the Chinese government, and help religions in China integrate with fine traditional Chinese culture and adapt to the socialist society.
Wang also stressed the importance of strengthening the law-based governance of religious affairs.
Senior official extends Spring Festival greetings to religious groups
