China's largest thermal power plant, currently under construction, has completed its expansion with the addition of a new unit to meet the surging demand for electricity during the summer months.
Beilun Power Station's Unit 8 was put into operation on Sunday after completing a full-load trial operation lasting 168 hours.
Located in Beilun District, Ningbo City, in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, Beilun Power Station is the primary power source for eastern China.
The expansion project, which includes the addition of Units 8 and 9, each with a capacity of one million kilowatts, adopts multiple advanced technologies. This results in a coal consumption rate of 257.24 grams per kilowatt-hour, comparatively low when measured against other domestic facilities.
During this summer's peak demand period, both new units will be operational, making Beilun Power Station the largest thermal power plant in China, with an installed capacity of 7.34 million kilowatts.
"During the 168-hour full-load trial operation of Unit 8, all system equipment functioned smoothly, and the technical indicators met our expectations. Once operational, Unit 8 is expected to generate 6 billion kWh of electricity annually. Meanwhile, Unit 9 is currently being installed and debugged at an accelerated pace. After it is put into operation by the end of the year, the annual electricity generation of Beilun power station will exceed 40 billion kWh," said Sun Cheng, director of the engineering management department of Beilun power station.
Beilun Power Station is effectively leveraging its advantages of large units and high capacity to ensure a reliable electricity supply during the summer months. As of Saturday, the station has maintained an output of nearly 100 million kWh of electricity per day for 18 consecutive days.
China's largest thermal power plant under construction expands to meet surging demand in summer
Yemen's temporary capital Aden is showing resilience and stability in economy, with market operations and public services running smoothly despite a recent escalation in the region's volatile military and political situation.
Currently, various essential supplies, including grain, oil, food and everyday items, are consistently available on the markets.
Public services such as water, electricity and communications are also functioning normally, and shops in multiple commercial districts remain open.
"We went out to buy household items today. The prices were the same. There was no rise in prices," said Mohamed Naguib, a resident.
The current market stability is attributed to the efficient functioning of the transportation and logistics systems, as well as the government's ongoing efforts to enhance market oversight and regulate prices, which have helped reduce market volatility, according to analysts.
"Although there are some rumors about rising tensions, the overall situation in Aden remains stable. The industry and commerce department has continued to monitor the market and rigorously control prices to prevent increases in commodity and food costs," said Amjad Al-Husseini, director of the Aden Governor's Office.
The city's monetary circulation system has also largely maintained balance, with the exchange rate of the local currency against major foreign currencies remaining relatively stable.
Aden has long been a flashpoint in the country's civil war, which erupted in 2014 when Houthi forces seized much of the north, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in the following year. Tensions in the south have persisted despite repeated power-sharing deals.
The tensions further escalated last month after the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized large swathes of Yemen's oil-rich Hadramout province and the eastern province of Al-Mahrah. Riyadh considers these areas as a "red line" due to their proximity to the Saudi border and their concentration of Yemen's remaining energy reserves.
Last week, airstrikes and ground operations by the Saudi-led coalition forced the STC forces to withdraw from the two provinces.
Formed in 2017, the STC seeks autonomy and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Although it joined the Saudi-led coalition and became part of the Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council in 2022, the group's push for southern self-rule has continued to fuel disputes over power-sharing and control of territory and resources.
Economy, market remain stable in Yemen's Aden despite escalating violence
