China Energy Investment Corp (CHN Energy) has brought online the country's single largest and most efficient gas-fired power unit at its Anji power plant in Zhejiang province, completing the transformation of a site that once housed the region's largest coal-fired generator.

The new facility effectively replaces the former Meixi coal-fired power plant, which was the largest in Zhejiang province before being retired under national efforts to replace older, smaller generating units with larger, more modern and cleaner facilities.

The commissioning of the first of two 9H-class gas units, which successfully completed a 168-hour full-load trial run and officially entered commercial operation on Sunday, is seen as a major success for China's drive to accelerate the shift toward cleaner energy sources.

The new 9H-class gas unit boasts a world-class combined cycle efficiency of 64.15 percent. This dramatic boost in thermal efficiency delivers a crucial environmental benefit, with the new unit performing approximately 17 percent better than conventional million-kilowatt coal-fired units it replaces, allowing for drastically lower fuel consumption and emissions for the same power output, said the company.

Crucially, the unit's carbon emission intensity is only 40 percent of a comparable coal-fired plant, and it produces virtually no particulate matter or sulfur dioxide, significantly reducing pollution at the source, it said.

The new project consists of two 9H-class units with a total installed capacity of 1.69 million kilowatts. Following the launch of Unit 1, the second unit is currently in the commissioning phase and is slated to begin power generation early next year.

Industry experts believe the rapid construction of the first unit — achieving key milestones like first ignition and first grid connection on its first attempt — sets a new record for similar gas turbine projects in China.

"The project's successful commissioning provides a valuable, replicable model for the upgrade and optimization of old power plants and the broader restructuring of China's energy mix," said Lin Boqiang, head of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University.

"From a technical and economic standpoint, the commissioning of the new gas unit is seen as a crucial step toward high-efficiency substituting low-efficiency and clean energy replacing high-carbon fuels," he said.

"On the other hand, the fast response time of the unit, which can transition from a warm start to full load in just 90 minutes, greatly enhances the grid's ability to balance sudden changes in wind or solar generation, providing critical emergency peak-shaving capacity nationwide."

Once fully operational, the plant is expected to generate approximately 7 billion kilowatt-hours annually, enough to meet the yearly electricity needs of about 6 million residents. The total projected annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is about 1.86 million metric tons, with a saving of approximately 680,000 tons of standard coal.

As the country's largest coal-fired power generator by capacity, CHN Energy has been committed to further stepping up efforts in the clean utilization of coal in recent years, eyeing to strike a crucial balance between ensuring a stable energy supply and progressing toward decarbonization goals.

Even as coal maintains its position as China's foundational energy source, the large State-owned enterprise is actively pursuing a green strategy by championing eco-friendly mining, developing advanced coal-fired power integrated with carbon capture, and pioneering complex technologies for converting coal into oil and chemical products.

The company plans to intensify its focus on piloting cleaner coal technologies, such as carbon capture solutions and the co-firing of alternative fuels. Concurrently, it is working to enhance efficiency and curb emissions by optimizing and upgrading its current, recently constructed, and future generations of coal power plants.

The company dominates China's coal-based liquid fuels and chemical production, accounting for 65 percent of the nation's total coal-to-oil output. Additionally, its production takes up 20 percent of China's coal-to-olefins capacity and 10 percent of its coal-to-methanol capacity.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn