Gansu Minxian County: "Electric Guardians" Devotedly Safeguard the Roots of the "Millennium Herbal Homeland"

DINGXI, China, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As spring breezes sweep over the mountain ridges and the Awakening of Insects solar term passes, farmlands across the region come alive with cultivation activities. In Minxian County of Gansu Province, renowned as the "Millennium Herbal Medicine Homeland", over 50,000 mu (approximately 3,333 hectares) of Chinese medicinal herb seedlings have ushered in a bumper harvest, with the vast fields nurturing local herb growers' hopes for the entire year.

"After completing the hardening-off period, transplantation becomes crucial. Precise control of temperature and humidity is vital, where our automated electric irrigation systems and stable power supply serve as guardian angels for our abundant yields," explained Wang Peng, director of the Angelica Seedling Technology Innovation Demonstration Base in Xijiang Town, Minxian County, during an interview with reporters.

Conducting weekly inspections of constant-temperature sprinkler equipment in medicinal herb seedling greenhouses, checking electrical installations, and eliminating potential safety hazards have become the primary tasks for Hou Zhixuan, an employee from State Grid Minxian Power Supply Company during this period.

The favorable temperature and humidity ensure the thriving growth of Angelica seedlings, with the greenhouse filled with lush greenery. Batch after batch of seedlings are flourishing under the irrigation of electric automated watering systems.

"Greenhouse seedling cultivation has been promoted in our county for three to four years, and the bolting rate has now been controlled to below 10%, effectively ensuring our yield," explained Wang Xinjian, a technician from the Minxian Angelica Research Institute.

Currently, during the critical period for the growth of medicinal herb seedlings, to ensure safe and reliable electricity supply in greenhouses, employees from the State Grid Minxian Power Supply Company have been visiting the sites to provide services. They inspect electrical equipment in greenhouses, cold storage facilities, water pumps, and rolling shutter machines, while also educating herb farmers on safe and scientific electricity usage, thereby ensuring stable power supply for production.

"To ensure high-yield and efficient cultivation of angelica seedlings, we promptly monitor the electricity usage and demands of medicinal herb growers, providing sufficient power supply guarantees for seedling cultivation," explained Yao Wenxin, deputy director of Meichuan Power Supply Station under State Grid Minxian County Power Supply Company.

In recent years, the company has deeply extended its service chain, proactively addressing business needs such as capacity expansion, electricity usage modifications, and energy efficiency improvements at county-level planting bases. They have added dedicated transformer capacity reaching 6,300 kVA, replaced insulated conductors on relevant high-voltage power lines, and upgraded low-voltage power supply lines. These measures thereby met the safety requirements for electricity usage while supporting agricultural development.

"In the past, our medicinal herb seedlings relied on rainwater or manual irrigation to 'quench their thirst.' Now, with fully automated irrigation systems, efficiency has improved significantly, and yields have surged. With ample power supply, we can simply press a switch to pump water for irrigation and fertilization," explained Wang Peng.

Lang Jianjun, Director of the Minxian Chinese Herbal Medicine Technology Extension Station, stated: "By 2025, the county's medicinal herb seed and seedling cultivation area is projected to exceed 68,000 mu (approximately 4,533 hectares), including the construction of 1,100 mu (about 73.3 hectares) of intensive seedling breeding demonstration bases."

State Grid Minxian Power Supply Company will continue prioritizing rural revitalization and local economic development. The company plans to intensify agricultural grid upgrades, optimize grid structures, and enhance power supply services. This commitment aims to provide reliable electricity for herb seedling cultivation and medicinal planting, ensuring the "electricity guardian" fully safeguards the roots of this millennium-old "herbal medicine homeland."

SOURCE State Grid Minxian Power Supply Company