Recently, a joint policy document titled "Implementation Guidelines on Accelerating the Green Transition and High-Quality Development of Small Hydropower" was officially released by the provincial water resources authority in collaboration with five other government bodies, including those overseeing development and reform, natural resources, and ecology and environment.

The guidelines outline that by 2035, the layout of small hydropower stations across the province will become more scientifically rational, with significantly enhanced ecological protection standards. The objectives include precise management of ecological flows throughout the entire process, further improvements in river connectivity, and comprehensive elevation of intelligence, intensification, and standardization levels. A modern small hydropower framework that aligns with Shaanxi's ecological preservation and high-quality development requirements will essentially be established, ensuring these stations effectively contribute to rural power supply assurance, energy conservation and carbon reduction, coordinated water-wind-solar-storage operations, and emergency power support.

This setup aims to form a high-quality development pattern for small hydropower that matches the province's comprehensive green transformation of its economy and society, aligns with the ecological protection and high-quality development strategy of the Yellow River basin, and meets the demands of the evolving new power system.

Targeting the construction of safe, green, intelligent, and people-benefiting modern small hydropower facilities, the guidelines delineate five priority areas. First, development and construction will be strictly managed, involving the optimization of station layouts, tight controls on new projects, scientifically guided capacity expansion and renovations, and orderly retirement of outdated plants.

Second, a green upgrade initiative will be implemented to boost efficiency and quality, vigorously promoting intelligent retrofits, accelerating the formation of intensive operational systems, and advancing standardized management practices. Third, ecological conservation and restoration are to be reinforced to safeguard river and lake ecosystems, which includes determining ecological flows rationally, strictly enforcing their discharge, and persistently working to improve river connectivity.

Fourth, a firm commitment to production safety responsibilities will be upheld to elevate safety standards, continuously fortifying dam safety, deepening the construction of standardized safety production, and improving safety management and emergency response mechanisms. Fifth, the comprehensive support functions of small hydropower will be leveraged to aid rural revitalization and energy security, involving deep support for comprehensive rural development, proactive encouragement of multi-energy complementarity and system integration, and enhancement of emergency supply capabilities.

An official spokesperson from the provincial water resources authority emphasized that all local governments and relevant departments must strengthen organizational leadership, refine implementation measures, and intensify supervision and guidance to ensure every requirement within the guidelines is effectively executed.