World's largest thermal plant increases heating capacity

The Datang Tuoketuo, the world's largest thermal power plant, in Hohhot of north China's Inner Mongolia, has expanded its heating supply capacity to cover over 53 million square meters this winter as temperatures plummeted by 8 to 10 degrees Celsius across most parts of the region.

As the largest operational coal-fired power plant in the world, Tuoketuo plays a pivotal role in keeping Hohhot's residents warm. Its advanced long-distance heating system circulates over 24,000 tons of hot water per hour through a complex network that includes two relay pump stations and a heat exchange station.

A key initiative of Inner Mongolia's Warmth Project, the plant's main pipeline extends 105 kilometers, making it China's longest heat transmission system with the largest pipe diameter.

Regarding Inner Monglia's extremely cold winters, the system operates with an outlet temperature of 130 degrees Celsius, 10 percent higher than typical systems. Currently, the plant guarantees the heating supply for nearly a quarter of Hohhot's urban area.

During the peak heating periods, the plant has more than 1,000 trucks and 12 trains of 70,000 tons of coal come in everyday. With a stockpile of approximately one million tons of coal, sufficient for at least 21 days of uninterrupted operation, the plant ensures reliable fuel supplies to power its heating units.

Since the heating season began on October 15, the plant has supplied over three million gigajoules of heat.

The Tuoketuo Power Plant is also a critical electricity provider. A significant portion of its output is directly transmitted to Beijing, supplying about 25 percent of the national capital's total electricity consumption.

This positions the plant as a vital source of power for Beijing's safe electricity consumption.

World's largest thermal plant increases heating capacity

Grain enterprises across China have purchased 120 million tons of autumn grains recently, according to data from the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration.

Provinces like Henan, Jiangsu, Heilongjiang, and Anhui have set up the minimum purchase price of middle- and late-season rice. Over 200 purchasing spots have been set up in these four provinces to facilitate grain farmers in selling their crops.

Currently the purchase of middle- and late-season indica rice in the southern region stands at around 40 to 50 percent, while in the northeast region, the purchase of japonica rice is around 20 percent. In the north and northeast China, purchase of corn stands at 20 percent to 30 percent, while that of soybeans is around 15 percent in northeastern region.

The average price of middle- and late-season rice is about 2.6 yuan per kilogram. With demand rising for animal feed, prices of corn and soybean are gradually recovering and stabilizing, boosting acquisition interest.

"Currently, the cumulative procurement of middle- and late-season rice at the minimum purchase price has exceeded 1.8 million tons, effectively stabilizing market expectations and ensuring reasonable grain prices," said Luo Shouquan, director of the grain reserve department of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration.

Autumn grain purchases across China total 120 million tons