State Grid brings 'timely rain' to parched farmlands

"You've brought the 'timely rain'—now the over 10,000 mu of crops in the Dakuang Polder Area are saved!" On the evening of August 20, the heat lingered in the Dakuang Polder Area by the Baita River. As Liang Qiaoxiang, secretary of the Party branch of Sanyuan village, Yongfeng town, Tianchang city, Chuzhou, Anhui province, watched the newly connected water pump roar to provide river water to the parched farmland, her voice was filled with excitement and gratitude.

Since the start of this month, the Tianchang area of Chuzhou city has been hit by persistent high-temperature and sunny weather, with Yongfeng town even setting a record of 28 consecutive days without effective rainfall. The water level of the Baita River has dropped by nearly 3 meters compared with the same period in previous years, and sparse weeds have grown on the exposed riverbed. In the polder area, 14,000 mu of medium rice and corn are in the critical growth period. The soil between the ridges has cracked into gaps as wide as a finger; some medium rice leaves have turned yellow and curled, and the corn stalks have also dropped slightly. "The medium rice is in the heading stage, and the corn has just formed cobs—this is a critical time that determines the harvest. If it doesn't rain soon, this season's harvest will be at risk!" Liang Qiaoxiang looked at the increasingly withered crops, feeling extremely anxious.

On the evening of August 19, Liang Qiaoxiang, carrying the expectations of all farmers in the village, made a desperate call to the Suburban Power Supply Station of the State Grid Chuzhou Power Supply Company. She said, "The water level of the Baita River is more than 20 meters below the polder dike's lift height. We want to draw power from the dedicated transformer of the Wangzhuang Irrigation and Drainage Station, but we have no idea how to lay the lines or connect the equipment. Can you come and help us?" Yang Jian, director of the Suburban Power Supply Station, immediately responded, "Don't worry, we'll be there first thing tomorrow morning!"

At 7 am on August 20, a service team composed of 4 staff members arrived at the site. By then, the morning sun was already scorching the ground, and the soil on the polder embankment was radiating heat under the intense sun. During the plan formulation process, the workers used power big data analysis technology, combined with the regional electricity load characteristics and historical data of irrigation and drainage equipment, to accurately calculate the pump operation power demand and line carrying capacity. This provided a scientific basis for wiring and enabled the rapid determination of the optimal power supply plan.

Construction began at 10 am the same day. The cables used were old ones that had been employed in previous drought relief efforts. While guiding the construction workers in laying the cables, the team members inspected the insulation layer of the cables section by section. They found a few cracks and abrasions on some cables caused by long-term storage, and immediately repaired them by carefully wrapping the damaged parts with insulating tape. For every meter of progress made, they had to clear away overgrown weeds to ensure the safety of the cable lines. When installing the control cabinet at the water intake, the team members leaned over and focused intently on the key steps of stripping the cable insulation and crimping the connections. Even when sweat droplets from their foreheads dripped into their eyes, they didn't stop to wipe them away; their blue work uniforms were covered in mud spots, but they were completely unaware of it.

"The farmland is waiting for water to survive—every day the medium rice lacks water during its heading stage, the risk of yield reduction increases. Let's step up our efforts to ensure the technical work is solid!" The team members took turns to drink water and wipe off sweat, staying at their posts the entire time. After over 10 hours of continuous guidance and service, one 450-meter cable line was successfully installed in place, and three 11-kilowatt pumps and two 15-kilowatt pumps were wired and connected to the power supply.

At 5 pm on August 20, with a crisp click of the switch being closed, water from the Baita River surged out along the pipes, flowing through the parched ditches and spreading into the farmland. Villagers held hoes to guide the water flow, watching as the withered yellow rice leaves unfurled under the moisture.

Since the onset of the drought in August, the State Grid Chuzhou Power Supply Company has cumulatively deployed 110 person-times for drought relief and power guarantee work. It has inspected and rectified 35 hidden risks in the lines of irrigation and drainage stations, added 11 temporary power supply points for drought relief, and ensured electricity supply for the irrigation of 75,000 mu of farmland across the region. During this process, power big data has played an important supporting role. By real-time monitoring of power grid load, analyzing the electricity consumption characteristics of irrigation and drainage equipment in various towns and townships, dynamically optimizing the power grid operation mode, and accurately allocating emergency power sources, the company has achieved scientific dispatching and rapid response.

"We have established a 24-hour response mechanism for drought relief and power guarantee, and formed 8 service teams to be stationed in different areas, ensuring that power support follows wherever there is a demand," Wei Hao, a staff member from the operation, maintenance and overhaul department of the State Grid Chuzhou Power Supply Company, said. He added that the company will continue to monitor the power grid load, dynamically optimize the power supply plan, and safeguard the hope of a bumper harvest in the fields with reliable electricity.