The Lighthouse Keeper on a Deserted Island

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.