State Grid Fuyang Power Supply Company: Reliable electricity supports rush planting of late-sown wheat

Rush planting is now underway in the over 1,200 mu (80 hectares) of high-standard farmland contracted by Song Tingzhou, a major grain grower, at the National Modern Agricultural Industrial Park in Jiangdianzi town, Yingyang county, Fuyang, Anhui province, on Nov 16. Jiang Duohua, customer manager at the Jiangdian Central Power Supply Station of State Grid Fuyang Power Supply Company, and her colleague Ye Biao, opened the smart well distribution box. They used a test pen to check line insulation and carefully inspected loose terminals, ensuring reliable power to guarantee that the late-sown wheat is planted successfully.

"Persistent rain in October caused waterlogging in the fields, delaying sowing by more than ten days. Our 'ton-and-a-half grain' base relies entirely on scientific farming, while smart irrigation and soil moisture monitoring all depend on electricity. Your proactive visits to identify risks and strengthen protection really solve our urgent problem!" Song exclaimed gratefully, shaking the hand of the power supply employee Jiang.

As a renowned "pioneer of scientific grain farming" in Jiangdianzi town, Song began contracting land in 2013. His operation has grown from a few hundred mu initially to over 1200 mu today, achieving full-process mechanization and smart technology in plowing, planting, irrigation, management, and drying. The widespread use of smart devices and monitoring systems demands higher reliability in electricity supply.

Reflecting on the journey of power use for large-scale farming, Song was deeply moved: "The old bare wires were too thin and caused frequent trips. We had to rely on diesel pumps, which were costly and inefficient — it took half a month to irrigate over a thousand mu, and wheat yield was only about 400 kg per mu." 

After learning of the situation, Jiang from the local power supply station swiftly launched an agricultural power security initiative. Within just 12 days, her team laid 1.1 kilometers of new 10kV insulated lines and replaced 400 meters of low-voltage cables. The upgrade quadrupled irrigation efficiency — what once took 15 days now takes only three.

This past October, during a critical rice-drying period, one of Song's dryers suddenly lost power due to damp connections from continuous rain. Jiang and her team arrived within 15 minutes, identified the issue, and restored operations promptly.

Reliable electricity is the cornerstone of modern agricultural development. In 2024, Song added smart equipment like soil moisture monitors and automatic seeders, built a grain drying plant, and collaborated with expert teams from China Agricultural University and Nanjing Agricultural University to promote green high-yield techniques. As power demand grew, the power company added a new distribution point, installing one 400 kVA transformer, and constructing 1.2 kilometers of low-voltage lines.

In 2024, the average yield per mu in Song's high-standard farmland reached 550.2 kg for wheat and 1002.5 kg for rice. The annual rice-wheat rotation yield steadily exceeded 1.55 metric tons, truly making it a 'ton-and-a-half grain' base! He also created jobs for over 30 villagers, increasing their average annual income by 28,000 yuan ($3,934), helping locals realize the dream of "working close to home".

In recent years, through policy support, technological empowerment, and equipment upgrades, Jiangdianzi town has been promoting the green transformation of grain production. Today, there are 98 major grain growers like Song in the town, which has become a source of "green ton-and-a-half grain" technology along the Huai River in Anhui, serving as a model for agricultural transformation across the nation.

Currently, addressing the rush planting pace following the late sowing of autumn wheat in Yingyang county, State Grid Fuyang Power Supply Company has fully extended its "one-on-one" stationed services to all major grain growers, family farms, and high-standard farmland areas county-wide. 

Simultaneously, the company is performing thorough electrical safety inspections of autumn farming equipment — including seeders and irrigation pumps — to address risks like aging wires and loose connections. A strengthened 24-hour emergency response system has been established, with repair teams and materials pre-positioned across rural towns to guarantee on-site arrival within 30 minutes anywhere in the county.

Additionally, power distribution plans are dynamically adjusted in response to real-time load changes during the planting season. Temporary power facilities are deployed where needed, and under-capacity lines are upgraded. This integrated strategy — combining on-site support, system-wide inspection, rapid response, and flexible grid management — ensures a reliable electricity supply for the autumn wheat season and reinforces the county's "ton-and-a-half grain" yield target.