Dingxi, Gansu: Electricity powers the transformation of 'potatoes' into 'golden beans'

Upon entering the Dingxi Potato Research Institute, one is immediately struck by the rows of neatly arranged plastic greenhouses, which stand out prominently in the sunlight. Inside the greenhouses, lush greenery prevails, and workers are diligently engaged in transplanting seedlings and selecting seeds for micro potatoes, displaying an extraordinary level of busyness.

The humble native potatoes have transformed into golden eggs. This transformation is inseparable from the carefully cultivated superior seeds. Dingxi Potato Research Institute is the first private potato research institute and potato seed potato production enterprise in Gansu province. With the strong support of the power supply company, it has evolved into the largest potato seed potato export enterprise in China, producing 60 million virus-free test-tube seedlings annually, nearly 100 million original potato varieties, and exporting 10 million micro-sized potato seeds.

The original potato seedlings are transplanted from virus-free test-tube seedlings cultured in the laboratory. The production standards for these seedlings are extremely high, as they must be free of any viruses or viroids. To ensure the growth quality and cycle of the original potato seedlings, the power supply company assisted in installing fills light lamps for 24-hour illumination. Within the plastic shed, maintaining a stable temperature and conducting regular watering also relies on safe, stable and reliable power supply.

With the advent of spring, the Dingxi Power Supply Company of the State Grid initiated a special campaign to visit enterprise, aiming to "deliver services, solve problems, and promote development". The campaign centers on the city's potato industry development plan, with a focus on visiting growers and deep-processing enterprises. After assessing the potato planting area, irrigation and drainage power needs, as well as comprehensively understanding the power consumption status of potato deep-processing enterprises, Dingxi Power Supply Company adheres to differentiated and precise services, tailored to the power consumption characteristics of the potato-specific agricultural industry development.

Dingxi is one of the best suitable areas for potato cultivation in China, and even globally. In 2024, the city's potato planting area reached 2.637 million mu (175,800 hectares). The city boasts 36 seed potato enterprises and 28 leading processing enterprises, with the sales revenue of the entire potato industry chain reaching 26 billion yuan.

The State Grid Dingxi Power Supply Company will base itself on the actual situation of the city's agricultural industry development and economic and social progress. By continuously strengthening power grid construction and continuously optimizing service measures, it will focus on the entire process of potato seed cultivation, the use of high-tech planting equipment, cold storage, starch processing and noodle making. The company aims to provide adequate power supply guarantees and spare no effort to "gather and empower" the steady development of the potato industry. This will enable each native egg to accelerate and become a good "potato" light for increasing yield and income in the hands of the masses.