By mid-September, autumn wind in northern Shaanxi has brought a chill.
A 1000 kW high-voltage containerized diesel generator set successfully completed its final commissioning procedure with full follow-up support from Zhongfa Power’s service team.
Readings of voltage, current and frequency lit up one after another on the instrument panel and remained steadily within standard ranges. The load test was passed in one attempt, and all protection functions were fully verified normal.
Watching the fluctuating figures on the control screen, the on-site supervisor remarked: “Great, now we can rest easy.”
The coal mine’s “power insurance” was officially in place.
I. Power Supply at Coal Mines Is Far Less “Stable” Than You Might Think
Many people assume coal mines are equipped with dual-circuit power supply and will never suffer blackouts.
Theoretically this holds true. According to the Coal Mine Safety Regulations, a mine must have two independent power supply circuits. If one circuit fails, the other must carry the full load.
However, real-world conditions are far more complex.
Extreme weather events happen frequently, and power grid failures caused by lightning strikes, heavy rain and strong winds are common. In July 2026, a coal mine in Panzhou, Guizhou suffered total loss of dual-circuit power supply due to lightning. The ground main ventilation fan and gas drainage pump stopped abruptly, followed by sequential shutdown of local ventilation fans at underground tunneling faces. In the same month, No.2 Mine of Huayang Group in Shanxi also experienced power loss at its step-down substation triggered by lightning, cutting off the dual-circuit power supply.
In March 2026, Baodian Coal Mine in Shandong held a special emergency drill for mine power supply accidents, simulating complete power loss of dual circuits caused by severe convective gales. Lilou Coal Industry in Shandong conducted a similar drill in July.
These are not just drill scripts; they reflect real accidents and precautionary exercises.
Once the upper-level power grid malfunctions, both circuits may lose power at the same time. Underground ventilation fans, drainage pumps and hoists stop — every second is critical to human lives.
II. Mandatory Policy Requirements: Full Completion by the End of 2026
Given the real risks, regulatory authorities have issued mandatory rules.
On April 30, 2025, the Shanxi Provincial Energy Bureau, the Provincial Department of Emergency Management and the Shanxi Bureau of the National Mine Safety Administration jointly issued a notice. It requires all operating and under-construction underground coal mines in the province to implement dual-circuit power supply and install readily available emergency power supplies in compliance with regulations.
The document sets out core requirements:
High-gas coal mines, coal and gas outburst mines, and mines with all safety exits as vertical shafts: configuration shall be completed by the end of June 2026 in principle.
All other coal mines: configuration shall be completed by the end of December 2026 in principle.
Where diesel generator sets are adopted as emergency power supplies, the voltage shall meet requirements for both civil and industrial use. After dual-circuit power failure, the emergency power supply must start the main ventilation fans within 10 minutes and other equipment within 20 minutes, with continuous power supply duration of no less than 2 hours.
This is not a suggestion but a mandatory regulation. Mines failing to meet the deadline will face production suspension for rectification and administrative penalties.
Shanxi took the lead, followed by major coal-producing provinces such as Guizhou. In 2026, the Guizhou Provincial Energy Bureau released a subsidy notice for the construction of emergency energy storage power supplies for coal mines, offering subsidies equal to 30% of the total project investment with a maximum of RMB 2 million per mine. The nationwide rollout of emergency power configuration for coal mines has fully begun.
III. 1000 kW: Not an Arbitrary Figure
The 1000 kW unit successfully commissioned for this project was not selected randomly.
The emergency power capacity of a coal mine must cover the total load of main ventilation, drainage and vertical shaft personnel hoisting equipment. The combined power demand for one main ventilation fan, multiple drainage pumps and a hoisting system is substantial.
Many coal mines tend to make a mistake when calculating emergency loads: they only include the main ventilation fan but ignore auxiliary shaft hoists and submersible pumps. Only when a real blackout occurs do they find that the power capacity is insufficient to drive the equipment.
The 1000 kW rating comes from precise calculation of all primary safety-critical loads of this coal mine, with ample margin reserved.
More importantly, this unit adopts a 10kV high-voltage direct output solution. Many coal mines are hundreds or even thousands of meters away from power distribution rooms. If 380V low-voltage units are used for power transmission, the high current will lead to heavy line loss and severe voltage drop, requiring extra-thick cables and sharply increased costs. The 10kV high-voltage design solves this problem: higher voltage reduces current, long-distance transmission losses are almost negligible, and cable costs can be greatly cut.
This is why more and more coal mines directly specify 10kV high-voltage gensets in tenders.
IV. Commissioning Site: One-shot Success Built on Solid Expertise
Prior to commissioning, Zhongfa Power’s service team carried out thorough site surveys and technical plan coordination.
Northern Shaanxi features large temperature differences between day and night in autumn. The ventilation conditions at the unit installation site, cable routing and grid-connection interfaces — every detail was repeatedly confirmed in the early stage.
After delivery, hoisting and positioning, cable connection and control wiring were completed step by step in accordance with standard procedures. On commissioning day, engineers checked wiring item by item, calibrated parameters and simulated power cut switching.
The most critical test: simulate dual-circuit power failure to trigger automatic start, automatic paralleling and loaded operation of the generator set.
From the power-loss signal trigger to stable loaded output of the unit, the whole process ran smoothly without interruption. Voltage, frequency and power factor all met specifications.
It passed on the first try.
The on-site supervisor commented: “With this unit in place, a big weight has been lifted off my mind.”
V. One Generator Set, A Peace of Mind for an Entire Mine
What does the arrival of this 1000 kW high-voltage genset mean for this coal mine?
It means the main ventilation fans will definitely start within 10 minutes upon dual-circuit power loss. It means the underground drainage system gains genuine double protection. It means miners obtain an extra layer of tangible safety guarantee.
The Shanxi official document states one objective: “Prevent accidents that put personnel at risk.”
Simply put: with this generator set online, underground workers have an escape route.
Zhongfa Power is honored and responsible to participate in this project and deliver power security for the coal mine.
1000 kW, successfully commissioned in a single run and safely put into service.
This is not merely advertising; it is the true story of a generator set successfully delivered on site.
