Progress of Ultra-Supercritical Coal-Fired Power Plant in Hezhou China (From December 2011 to the 2020s)
In December 2011 Electric Power Development Co. Ltd. (J-Power) Mitsui & Co. Ltd. and Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) announced their participation in an ultra-supercritical (USC) coal-fired power plant project in Hezhou Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region China developed by China Resources Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (headquartered in Hong Kong). The project includes two 1 million kW-class power units with a total output of approximately 2000 MW. By adopting USC technology the plant achieves higher thermal efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions compared to conventional plants.
The three Japanese companies jointly established JM Energy with China Resources Power and obtained the necessary Chinese government approvals before formally joining the project. The first unit began commercial operation on August 16 2012 and the second unit followed on November 4 2012. As a result J-Power's overseas IPP projects totaled 30 with a total output of approximately 17500 MW (equity output of approximately 4030 MW) contributing Japanese technology to the realization of a low-carbon society in China.
In the 2020s China's growing energy demand has driven continued construction of coal-fired power plants. In 2022 construction equivalent to six times the global total began and as of January 2023 China had installed capacity 20 times that of Japan. However with the rapid spread of renewable energy the number of new permits decreased by 83% year-on-year to 9 GW in the first half of 2024.
The USC coal-fired power plant in Hezhou plays a vital role in supplying electricity to southern China while raising concerns about the overall increase in coal-fired power generation's impact on global warming. Going forward the adoption of more renewable energy and improvements in the efficiency of existing power plants will be essential with Hezhou's plant serving as a model case for sustainable energy use.
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