China's snow-hit southern grid striving to ensure supply

Ice covering electricity transmission lines in China is now being melted.

China Southern Power Grid is utilizing more than 300 pieces of equipment for this purpose in Guizhou and Yunnan provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

According to  Wang Xiaochun, the company's publicity manager, 196 electricity transmission lines, including 44 high-voltage lines, were covered with ice on Monday.

To ensure stable electricity supplies, more than 850 employees and 199 vehicles have been sent to grid facilities to help maintain the transmission lines and monitor operations, Wang added.

Senior executives from the company have promised that there will be no major blackouts even if the weather worsens over the next few days.

The company said this week that it has prepared contingency plans to ensure stable electricity supplies.

Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan were hardest hit by rain and snow during the past few days. All of the ice-bound lines are there, causing concern over a possible blackout in the country's southern and southwestern regions.

Guizhou and Yunnan, which have rich water resources and are home to many power plants, are the major suppliers of electricity to the Pearl River Delta region, one of the major electricity consumers on the mainland.

He said that electricity supplies to Guangdong remains stable.

Compared with northern China, which is experienced in dealing with cold weather, southern regions are more vulnerable to snow and ice.

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https://www.china.org.cn/business/2013-01/09/content_27631192.htm