Robots deployed for de-icing on power lines in southwest China’s Sichuan

Robots have been deployed for the first time to clear ice from power transmission lines in Xichang City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, significantly improving the safety and efficiency of de-icing operations.

Due to a cold wave, the thickness of ice on the power lines of a ±800 kV UHVDC power transmission project in Xichang once exceeded 12 millimeters, posing challenges to grid operations.

In a recent mission, a robot, deployed by a large drone onto the power line 120 meters above the ground, successfully removed ice from a 500-meter-long section within 15 minutes.

So far, the ultra-high-voltage branch of State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company has set up 340 ice monitoring devices on power lines, with five large drones and five de-icing robots on standby to ensure the timely removal of hazards caused by extreme weather.

Robots deployed for de-icing on power lines in southwest China’s Sichuan

Robots deployed for de-icing on power lines in southwest China’s Sichuan

Robots deployed for de-icing on power lines in southwest China’s Sichuan

Robots deployed for de-icing on power lines in southwest China’s Sichuan

Robots deployed for de-icing on power lines in southwest China’s Sichuan

The European Union economy could edge close to a recession if the energy supply shock triggered by the Middle East conflict continues, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official warned on Friday.

Alfred Kammer, director of the IMF's European department, said that under the current tense situation involving Iran, euro area growth is projected to be dragged down by 0.5 percentage point over the next two years. In a more severe scenario, the drag could reach 1.7 percentage points, he added.

Kammer also cautioned that industrial energy prices in the EU are now about twice the level seen before 2022 and significantly higher than in the United States, a direct consequence of the bloc's heavy dependence on imported oil and gas.

Data released by Eurostat on Thursday showed that euro area inflation rose to 2.6 percent year on year in March, up sharply from 1.9 percent in February. Energy prices increased 4.9 percent annually, marking their first annual gain since February 2025.

In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF projected that due to the energy supply shock from the Middle East conflict, euro area inflation will reach 2.6 percent this year, up from 2.1 percent in 2025, while growth will slow to just 1.3 percent. In a more severe scenario, inflation could spike to nearly 5 percent, prompting the European Central Bank to raise interest rates and pushing the EU economy toward recession-like conditions, the report said.

IMF warns EU economy could "near recession" if Mideast conflict persists