Smart power solutions drive Zhongxiang's wheat harvest

Zhongxiang has entered the peak harvest season for its 850,000 mu (56.67 hectares) of wheat. With the upcoming rainy season approaching, an urgent campaign to complete the harvest before expected storms has kicked off across the fields, where a reliable power supply is crucial to ensuring grain can make it to storage.

To strengthen electricity support for the summer harvest, State Grid Zhongxiang Power Supply Co (State Grid Zhongxiang) has deployed resources and established a dedicated task force to ensure a reliable power supply for harvest. Utilizing a smart power monitoring system, the company tracks agricultural electricity loads – such as grain drying and irrigation – around the clock, identifying energy demands.

Staff members have been dispatched ahead of time to agricultural cooperatives and farmlands to conduct comprehensive inspections of rural power lines, distribution transformers, and drying equipment to eliminate potential hazards. State Grid Zhongxiang coordinates with meteorological and agricultural departments to establish an efficient emergency response mechanism, developing specialized power protection plans for adverse weather conditions such as thunderstorms and strong winds and ensuring stable and reliable power throughout the harvest period.

Staff members from State Grid Zhongxiang use infrared thermometers to conduct special inspections of power lines and electrical facilities around the Wanglong Lane Vegetable Cultivation Cooperative. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

To address challenges such as poor visibility, low operational efficiency, and heightened safety risks during nighttime harvesting, State Grid Zhongxiang has coordinated the deployment of high-power lighting drones to assist in field operations. Each drone can illuminate an area of up to 3,000 square meters and flexibly adjust altitude and direction, providing dynamic lighting that follows harvester movements, enabling continuous round-the-clock harvesting. Additionally, the company has arranged personnel to monitor intelligent drying equipment continuously, ensuring freshly harvested wheat is dried immediately after reaping to prevent moisture damage and mold.

In the wheat fields of Machi village, Shipai town, Zhongxiang, maintenance personnel operate high-power emergency lighting drones for nighttime wheat harvesting. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

During this year’s summer harvest power support period, 145 drying stations and 466 drying machines across Zhongxiang have been operating, backed by a stable and reliable power supply for field harvesting.

With technological support and attentive power services, harvest efficiency has been significantly improved, ensuring that wheat is harvested ahead of rainfall, promptly dried, and safely stored.