Shanghai's unmanned farming industry boosted by State Grid's efforts

Across farmland stretching one thousand hectares, there are no farmers to be seen. Such a sight is fast becoming a reality. Recently, Wang Cong from the State Grid Shanghai Jiading Power Supply Company, along with Cui Deyi and Liu Yidong from the Anting Power Supply and Service Center, visited Shanghai's first digital unmanned farm before the autumn harvest. They inspected the electricity supply of smart irrigation equipment, threshing factories and more. The on-site services are necessary to ensure worry-free electricity during the farming season.

It is reported that there are more than 1,133 hectares of large-scale farmland like this in Waigang town in Shanghai's Jiading district. Starting from 2020, Waigang took the lead in Shanghai to initiate the project of the digital unmanned farm industry zone. Building upon the completion of 106.7 hectares of operation area in 2022, they are expanding to 266.7 hectares in 2023. This year, they are steadily expanding the planting area and achieving unmanned operations in all stages of cultivation, management and harvesting.

Currently, smart devices such as irrigation systems and drones have been applied in the planting process. Storage, processing and packaging of agricultural products also rely on electricity supply. State Grid Shanghai Jiading Power Supply Company has been safeguarding unmanned farms for four consecutive years. Their efforts to drive rural development and support agricultural growth will be recognized in the modernization of agricultural industry in the urban area.

The Anting Power Supply Service Center of State Grid Shanghai Jiading Power Supply Company leverages its advantages in operation and management to provide "three types of close" services to unmanned farms, namely being close to customers, equipment and the site. They entered the farms, distribution rooms and farmlands, providing zero-distance service.

During peak periods of electricity usage in farms such as spring plowing and irrigation and summer peak electricity consumption, the center's staff members closely monitor the electricity load and substation loads of unmanned farms. They have improved the ability of load forecasting and analysis, trying to provide suggestions to the unmanned farm operators. At the same time, the staff members inspected low-voltage equipment such as distribution boxes and cables in the unmanned farms and assisted in identifying and resolving electrical hazards in distribution boxes, smart irrigation systems and other equipment.

"Chen Yitao from the power supply company knows more about the farm's electrical equipment than I do. When there is a fault, he can locate it and repair it efficiently," said Liu Bo, head of the Xinjing Village Party Committee in Waigang town.

Additionally, the company has prepared emergency plans in advance to make sure that the repair personnel can quickly locate and repair electrical faults that occur on the farms. In October, unmanned farms will encounter a new series of reforms to improve the mechanization, electrification and intelligent operation level. State Grid Shanghai Jiading Power Supply Company will closely monitor the autumn harvest process, ensure electricity usage safety and provide "silent guardian" power services to support rural vitalization.