A typhoon and torrential rain caused a transformer to leak electricity, accidentally taking Yu Lei’s father’s life. The tragedy left an indelible mark on him, as his hometown, Luzhai Village, was plagued by frequent power outages.
With the belief that he could “bring light to every home,” Yu Lei, an electrical engineering graduate, devoted himself to building the Beihai Power Plant.
Built on reclaimed land, this “island” power plant faced harsh conditions, while the thermal power industry was seen as a “sunset industry” and met with constant skepticism.
Yu Lei endured heartbreak, workplace ostracism, the fickleness of human relationships, and even the loss of loved ones, yet he remained steadfast and true to his original purpose.
Faced with environmental pressures and technological challenges, he and his colleagues drove the power plant’s transition toward greener, smarter operations: adopting ultra-supercritical technology, desulfurizing with seawater, investing in photovoltaic power and energy storage, and building a smart platform.
From traditional thermal power to a zero-emission energy base integrating “coal, power, roads, ports, wind, solar, storage, and transport,” they forged a new path, becoming pioneers who broke the thermal power industry’s deadlock and keepers of the light on the island.
This story commemorates Shenhua Guohua Power, once one of the “Four Little Tycoons” of the power industry.
From a sea to an island.
When I typed the last word on the keyboard, I seemed to see myself fourteen years ago.
I once sat on the shore and saw the red light on the chimney on the horizon, "flickering", turning into stars and falling into every waiting eye.
Light up thousands of lights.
During the days when I was writing "The Lamplighter on the Lonely Island", I was always thinking: What is loneliness?
Maybe it's the rocks that no one responds to when the tide rises and falls, or the thick fog that can't be penetrated by a single lamp on a cold night.
But the persistence of the lamplighter made loneliness become another kind of romance.
What we guard is not an isolated island, but the coordinates in the hearts of those returning home, and the hope that refuses to be extinguished in the darkness.
As a traditional fossil energy, "thermal power" has gone through a history of 150 years. It has experienced teenagers, youth, and middle age. Some people say that it is now a "sunset industry" and an old man of rotten wood.
About to be eliminated by history.
However, today's million-kilowatt ultra-supercritical double-reheat coal-fired unit has proven to the world that it can still "shine and generate heat" and become the "ballast stone" of domestic power supply.
The lights have been extinguished and the ship has returned to port, but the persistence and warmth of the electric people will gently pass through the years like the aftermath of the sea.
I hope that every "guardian" of TNB's electricity can find a light worth holding on to on his or her own "island" and can also become a little bright in the dark night of others.
Farewell to you, may the road ahead be bright and worry-free every year.
From a sea to an island. When I typed the last word on the keyboard, I seemed to see myself fourteen years ago. I once sat on the shore and saw the red light on the chimney on the horizon, "flickering", turning into stars and falling into every waiting eye. Light up thousands of lights. During the days when I was writing "The Lamplighter on the Lonely Island", I was always thinking: What is loneliness? Maybe it's the rocks that no one responds to when the tide rises and falls, or the thick fog that can't be penetrated by a single lamp on a cold night. But the persistence of the lamplighter made loneliness become another kind of romance. What we guard is not an isolated island, but the coordinates in the hearts of those returning home, and the hope that refuses to be extinguished in the darkness. As a traditional fossil energy, "thermal power" has gone through a history of 150 years. It has experienced teenagers, youth, and middle age. Some people say that it is now a "sunset industry" and an old man of rotten wood. About to be eliminated by history. However, today's million-kilowatt ultra-supercritical double-reheat coal-fired unit has proven to the world that it can still "shine and generate heat" and become the "ballast stone" of domestic power supply. The lights have been extinguished and the ship has returned to port, but the persistence and warmth of the electric people will gently pass through the years like the aftermath of the sea. I hope that every "guardian" of TNB's electricity can find a light worth holding on to on his or her own "island" and can also become a little bright in the dark night of others. Farewell to you, may the road ahead be bright and worry-free every year.