'Baicao box' aids in ecological restoration of sandy lands in Inner Mongolia

Since 2022, State Grid East Inner Mongolia Electric Power Co has been exploring new models of symbiosis between the power grid in sandy lands and nature in parts of Naiman Banner, Tongliao in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, achieving significant environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Facing challenges such as the high mobility of sand dunes in the Horqin Sandy Land, which can expose the foundations of power towers, the company has introduced the innovative "Baicao box" initiative.

This initiative involves planting 12 types of non-flammable, green vegetation suitable for sandy environment along inspection lines to stabilize the dunes and reinforce the tower foundations. This approach has successfully addressed issues of tower instability and high maintenance costs caused by fallen towers.

Since its implementation, the initiative has created 68 mu (4.53 hectares) of grass grid and transformed 350 mu of sandy land along power line corridors into stable dunes, preserving the natural beauty of the area.

The initiative has cultivated nine types of crops, including six economically valuable desert plants, increasing the annual income of participating locals by an average of 1,500 yuan ($206.48) per person. It has also provided reliable electricity, supporting the electrification of production for over 5,600 households of farmers and herders.

The initiative has also effectively prevented wind erosion and stabilized tower bases, reducing maintenance frequency and costs while boosting economic efficiency.

Compared to 2020, maintenance time for 17 sandy area power lines in 2023 decreased by 27 hours, with 276 fewer maintenance personnel involved and 103 fewer line faults, resulting in a 35-percent reduction in overall maintenance costs.