Unit 1 of the Datang Yuncheng National Demonstration Power Project, the world's first 1,000 MW ultra-supercritical double-reheat thermal power unit operating at 630°C, officially went into commercial operation on June 8 after successfully completing a 168-hour full-load trial run.

The milestone facility injects robust momentum into the development of clean and high-efficiency coal power in China.

Breaking the efficiency bottleneck plaguing conventional coal power plants, the Yuncheng project boasts a designed power generation thermal efficiency of 50.05%. It operates with a main steam pressure of 35.5 MPa and a reheat steam temperature reaching 631°C, cutting the net coal consumption rate to 256.28 grams per kilowatt-hour.

It stands as a landmark project that achieves a thermal efficiency above 50 percent for the very first time in the global coal-fired power industry.

Compared with conventional counterparts, two such units at the plant can save 208,000 tons of standard coal and reduce 540,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually at full-load operation.

The conserved coal volume is sufficient to power 250,000 households for an entire year, striking a balance between green low-carbon development and secure energy supply.

The commissioning of the project fills multiple technical gaps at home and abroad. It drives comprehensive upgrades across China’s full industrial chain covering coal power design, power equipment manufacturing and advanced high-temperature materials, lending strong impetus to the nation’s green and low-carbon energy transition.