In 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission will issue opinions to promote the accelerated construction of pumped hydro storage. Recently, the National Energy Administration issued the "Reply Letter on Matters Related to the Adjustment Project of Shanxi Province" in the medium and long-term development plan of pumped hydro storage (2021-2035). This is the first province that has received approval for a new compliance project since the mid- and long-term plan for pumped storage was released in September 2021. By adding new projects, including more high-quality sites into key implementation projects, it will be of great significance to promote the faster and better development of pumped storage.

The main content of the document is excerpted as follows

Reported the "Request for Instructions on the List of Jiangxian County and Other Pumped Storage Projects as Key Implementation Projects of the National "14th Five-Year Plan", "Report on the Modification and Improvement of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's Opinions for 8 Pumped Storage Projects in Jiangxian County", and "About Report on the revision and improvement of the opinions of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration for 8 pumped storage projects including Jiangxian County. After research, the reply is as follows:

1. Accelerate the development of pumped hydro storage, and implement the “Medium and Long-Term Development Plan for Pumped Hydro Storage (2021-2035)” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”), which will help build a new power system, promote the large-scale and high-proportion development of renewable energy, and achieve carbon peaking. It plays an important role in the goal of carbon neutrality, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the power system, improving the level of energy security, promoting the expansion of effective investment, and maintaining stable and healthy economic and social development.

2. In order to support the development and construction of pumped storage in Shanxi Province, accelerate the development of new energy, and promote the comprehensive reform of the energy revolution, it is agreed that Shangshe in Yu County of Shanxi Province (installed capacity of 1.4 million kilowatts) and Lijiazhuang of Qinyuan County (installed capacity of 900,000 kilowatts) , Qinshui (installed capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts), Daixian Huangcaoyuan (installed capacity of 1.4 million kilowatts), and the eldest son (installed capacity of 600,000 kilowatts) are included in the planning "14th Five-Year Plan" key implementation projects; Jiangxian County (installed capacity of 600,000 kilowatts) Three reserve projects, namely Yuanqu Phase II (installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts) and Xilong Phase II (installed capacity of 1.4 million kilowatts), have been adjusted to the key implementation projects of the planned "14th Five-Year Plan"; Wuzhai (installed capacity of 1.4 million kilowatts) 1.2 million kilowatts) projects are included in the planning reserve projects.

3. Do a good job of planning and implementation, actively promote the preliminary work of pumped storage projects, speed up the approval of key implementation projects, strengthen the management of the whole process of the project, and ensure the safety of project construction and operation. Adhere to the ecological priority, and do a good job in the coordination of project development and construction with the ecological environment.

4. Organize project units to strictly abide by cultivated land and permanent basic farmland, ecological protection red lines and other spatial control lines, implement the requirements for economical and intensive land use, and coordinate the incorporation of key implementation projects into the “One Map” implementation supervision information system of national land space planning, in accordance with laws and regulations Priority is given to securing land needs.

5. Organize the project unit to follow the relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Law and the Regulations on the Protection of Wild Plants before the implementation of the project, to perform the relevant legal procedures related to the protection of wild animals and plants in the process of environmental impact assessment. Optimize the construction layout of the project, arrange the progress of the project scientifically and reasonably, and go through the formalities for the use of forest land for the project in strict accordance with the approved forest land area in accordance with laws and regulations, and no breakthroughs shall be made.

The adjustment of Shanxi's pumped storage project is the first province that has been approved to add new projects since the plan was released, and it has a very important demonstration significance. Editor / Xu Shengpeng