Overview
This project was focused on connecting the Guangrun Hydropower Project in Hubei Province, P.R. China (GHP), a hydropower project with reservoirs, located in Jianshi County, Enshi Tujia and Miao Minority Autonomous Prefecture, to Jianshi electricity network, which is a part of the Hubei Provincial Power Grid (HPPG) and Central China Power Grid (CCPG). The Jianshi network used to import peak power from and sell seasonal surplus power to the HPPG, and with the connection of GHP import of electricity was reduced and export of electricity to HPPG and CCPG was increased. Subsequently, power generation by coal-fired thermal power plants in dry season was displaced.
Benefits
As a renewable energy project, GHP produced positive environmental and economic benefits and contribute to the local sustainable development. The specific sustainable development benefits of the project included:
- Consistence with China’s national energy policy and alleviation of power shortage in local case;
- Supply of zero-emitting renewable energy to the HPPG and CCPG, thus decreased environmental pollution caused by fossil-fuel fired plants;
- Increased income of local government and residents, thus alleviation of poverty in Enshi Tujia and Miao Minority Autonomous Prefecture;
- Improved flood control standard and water supply quality of more than 70,000 people in Jianshi country;
- Job generation (more than 1500 jobs during the construction period and 60 permanent staff positions during operation);
- Improved local transport routes for local villagers and local goods sales;
- Implementation of Community Benefit Development Plan (CBDP) covering construction of transportation system, irrigation and drinking water system, reparation of teaching building for primary school, education training program for local villagers, development of ethnic cultures.