Revitalized Xiji Center thrives with reliable power supply

On Aug 18, the Xiji Center — the core commercial area of Xiji county, Guyuan city, Ningxia Hui autonomous region — was alive with the aroma of street food, with consumers queuing outside nearly every storefront. A staff member of the State Grid Xiji County Power Supply Company, equipped with infrared thermometers, carried out a routine patrol, checking the mall's 10-kilovolt incoming line cabinets and low-voltage busbars one by one.

The building, originally the Xiji Shopping Center, was completed in 2014 but ceased operation in 2015, remaining idle for nearly a decade. Aging wiring and insufficient capacity had turned it into a low-efficiency, idle commercial property in the urban core. In 2025, Guyuan city was selected into the second batch of national pilot cities for modern commerce and trade circulation. Seizing this policy opportunity, Xiji county introduced Ningxia Lehao Trading Co., Ltd., which invested 10 million yuan ($1.49 million) to renovate and repurpose the 15,000-square-meter building.

At the start of the renovation in 2025, State Grid Xiji County Power Supply Company immediately sent staff to the site for a comprehensive checkup of the building's existing electrical facilities. The assessment found severely aged wiring with damaged insulation, oxidized terminals inside the switchgear, and a supply capacity that covered only basic lighting — far short of the high loads of a modern commercial complex, such as central air conditioning, elevators, and restaurant-grade kitchen equipment. In response, the company's service team helped develop a retrofit plan with a clear path: "capacity upgrade first, then rewiring, then energization".

Since the mall reopened, State Grid Xiji has designated it a key power-guarantee customer, carried out 12 hazard inspections, and established a "one customer, one file" record. The service team of the company has conducted weekly routine patrols, using infrared thermography to monitor switchgear, cable joints, and other critical points, detecting and resolving issues such as loose connections and equipment overheating before they escalate. During major holidays such as Spring Festival and the National Day, and major promotional events, the company has also adopted an on-site standby model of "designated personnel, fixed posts, and fixed responsibilities" to ensure rapid response to any outage risk. Thanks to the systematic retrofit and regular maintenance, Xiji Center has maintained a power supply reliability rate above 99.9 percent, with no business interruptions caused by power supply issues since its reopening.

Stable power supply gave the mall strong backing in tenant recruitment. Xiji Center has attracted more than 40 tenants, over 60 percent of which are chain brands. Since its reopening in September 2025, the complex has recorded cumulative retail sales of more than 26.23 million yuan and draws an average of over 2,000 visitors a day. The revitalized district now hosts more than 40 operating businesses, directly sustaining over 260 local jobs, while logistics, warehousing, and supporting services have created more than 300 indirect positions.

Looking ahead, State Grid Xiji County Power Supply Company will continue to follow the mall's evolving electricity demand, moving inspections ahead of critical periods such as peak-summer load and the Spring Festival power supply guarantee. Reliable power services offer a new approach to revitalizing idle commercial stock in county-level areas.