Zhejiang Enhances Rural Power Grid to Support Drinking Water Renovation Projects

Early in the morning of April 24th, Lei Xinlian, a villager from Paiqian Village, Sanren She Ethnic Township, Suichang County, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, turned on the faucet, and clear tap water flowed out from the water pipe. Lei Xinlian said happily, “The water supply used to be unstable. When there was a heavy rain, the water flowing out would be turbid. In case of a drought, the water volume would be very small. Now we can finally use clean and stable water.”

Since 2023, Zhejiang Province has launched a three-year action for the renovation and upgrading of single-village water stations. At present, 8,127 single-village water stations have been renovated, benefiting a population of 2.23 million. Among them, Lishui has a total of 3,200 single-village water stations, involving a population of 517,000. Lishui is the prefecture-level city in Zhejiang Province with the largest total number of single-village water stations, the heaviest renovation task, and the most scattered distribution of water stations.

Employees from State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Company inspect the power supply equipment of rural water stations

In order to fully meet the electricity demand of single-village water stations, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd has been actively promoting the construction of rural power grids and ensuring that the responsibilities of various parties, including those in the water conservancy and power sectors, are implemented. In places such as Suichang County, Zhejiang Province, power workers have walked more than 5,000 kilometers, conducted a carpet-like survey and investigation of 3,200 single-village water station locations, and comprehensively grasped the electricity connection requirements and on-site situations of these single-village water stations. They have continuously optimized and adjusted the electricity connection plans, and in coordination with multiple government departments, they have solved 568 difficult problems, including policy handling and the selection of power supply routes.

As one of the first pilot areas in Zhejiang Province, Suichang County has established a joint meeting system, focusing on solving problems. The fastest project only took 80 days from the start of construction to completion. The local power supply company formulated a detailed time breakdown schedule and opened a “green channel,” completing the construction of the electric wires and connecting the power in just one week.(Written by: Zhu Lingxiao)