GD Power Dalian Plant Opens Up Channel for Imported Coal Purchase

On November 4, a total of 10,367 tons of lignite purchased from Indonesia arrived at the power plant of GD Power Development Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Energy, in the Dalian Economic and Technological Development Zone via the Dalian Bay General Cargo Terminal. This indicated that the company has completely opened up the channel for imported coal purchase. It not only radically solves the structural shortage of fuel that had plagued the company for more than six months, but also lays a solid foundation for transferring the company’s coal supply hub from Pingzhuang, Inner Mongolia, to northeastern China and comprehensively enhancing the capacity to guarantee coal supply for the company’s coal-fueled power plants in the northeastern region.

A ship unloads lignite from Indonesia at the port.

Since the third quarter of this year, the company has taken active action and multiple measures to tap into internal potential and coordinate external supply to relieve the structural shortage of fuel and ensure stable operations in the transitional period. To radically solve the short supply of lignite, the company collaborated with government departments, such as the Provincial Development and Reform Commission of Liaoning and Dalian Customs, and reported to them its social responsibility for heating supply for local people and the operational risks it was facing due to haunting structural shortage of fuel, with an aim to seek additional quota of coal importation. While temporarily lacking relevant importing quota, the company obtained a special permit from Dalian Customs that allowed its ships transporting coal for heating supply to berth, unload and declare at the customs in advance and handle customs clearance procedures after getting relevant quota. On September 23, the ship “Wanli” carrying 65,300 tons of imported lignite arrived at the port and then underwent the import inspection and quarantine procedure. In early October, the state promulgated a policy to increase coal quotas for heating supply. The company’s quota ranked first among coal-fueled power plants in Liaoning Province.

A truck unloads imported coal in the coal yard of the power plant.

Meanwhile, based on the supply-consumption-storage structure and following the principle of “burning the old and storing the new,” the company maximally optimizes the mixing ratio of different types of coal. Its previous mixing ratio is hard to adapt to all types of coal, which would increase instable factors to the burning process. To prevent extra high temperature of the coal pulverizing system caused by a large proportion of lignite, the company revised its Technical Standards to Prevent the Explosion of Boiler Pulverizing System in August. While giving enough attention to “minor problems,” it conducted in-depth analysis and took measures such as strengthening dirt cleaning when the coal pulverizing system paused operations, enhancing regular anti-pipe obstruction, anti-carbonization and anti-poison of the dry residue system. In addition, the company notifies relevant employees of real-time information about mixed coal consumption through morning conferences, SMS text and WeChat, so as to conduct timely tracking and supervision through multiple channels, adjust in line with demand, guarantee orderly operation of mixed coal burning by various means and reduce fuel cost as much as possible.