Nanjing, Jiangsu: Abandoned quarries transformed into farmland 'goldmine'
On Sept 16, staff from the State Grid Nanjing Power Supply Company visited Tuanjie village in Longpao subdistrict, Luhe district, Nanjing, to inspect agricultural power lines in the area and prepare for the electricity needs of the autumn harvest.
Tuanjie village once thrived due to a booming mining industry. However, over time, mining activities ceased, leaving behind a barren landscape of abandoned quarries. The villagers' lives became difficult following ecological damage, with strong winds often stirring up clouds of dust.
In 2018, Luhe district, Nanjing, targeted a 10-kilometer stretch along the Yangtze River (Luhe section) for remediation, implementing measures to treat abandoned open-pit quarry sites. The Tuanjie village sand mine rehabilitation project was one of these initiatives and became the largest single reclamation area in Nanjing.
[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
In August 2020, the Tuanjie village sand mine rehabilitation project officially began. The numerous utility poles installed near the abandoned sand mine for earlier mining operations severely hindered land leveling efforts. To address this, the State Grid Nanjing Power Supply Company dispatched vehicles six times and personnel 32 times, ultimately removing 1.2 kilometers of 400-volt power lines and 22 utility poles. This swiftly completed the demolition work for the quarry site remediation, improving the village environment and enhancing the ecological functions of Tuanjie village. "Thanks to the power department, removing the poles and lines provided significant help for our land leveling efforts," said Jin Bian, the village committee secretary of Tuanjie village.
[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
While restoration was straightforward, irrigation presented its own challenges. Constructing new ditches and pump stations around the farmland required new power lines to supply electricity to the pumps. In February 2021, the State Grid Nanjing Power Supply Company erected a new 400-volt power line for the Zaoshujin Pump Station. The line, spanning 0.8 kilometers, involved the installation of 20 new utility poles. Due to the rugged and complex terrain in the construction area, with mostly pebbles underground, workers had to rely entirely on manual digging to install the poles. Ultimately, the irrigation power setup for all arable land was completed successfully.
In August 2023, the State Grid Nanjing Power Supply Company added a 95-kilovolt anti-drought power supply for the Wulou Pump Station in Luhe's Tuanjie village. This initiative provided a more robust power guarantee for local agricultural irrigation.
[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The rehabilitated 500 mu (33.3 hectares) of farmland now feature irrigation systems that can handle both drought and waterlogging. If estimated at a land transfer fee of 500 yuan ($68.75) per acre, the village's collective income could increase by 250,000 yuan. Through cultivation or land transfer, villagers in nearby production groups could see an annual income increase of about 280 yuan per person, directly benefiting approximately 2,500 villagers.
[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Today, specialized power distribution pump stations on the former mining site ensure a stable power supply. By 2025, the total output of rice and wheat on Tuanjie village's 510 mu (34 hectares) of land is expected to reach around 900 kilograms, with a yield value of about 1,800 yuan per acre — roughly double the output of the previous two years.
