China Power Construction Dongdian Second Company Xilinhot Taifu Energy 400MW Wind Power Project, a green landmark on the grassland

Source: Global Times

On the vast Xilingol steppe, the fierce winds sweeping across the prairie for miles are transformed into a steady stream of green electrical power. White wind turbines stand one after another, forming the most eye-catching scenery on the grasslands. Behind this lies the relentless struggle of the Xilinhot city TaiFur Energy 400MW wind farm project team from China Energy Engineering Group Dongdian Second Company (China Energy Engineering—Dongdian Second Company). This crew of construction forces, whose average age is under 35, uses the steppe as its arena and the wind turbines as its coordinates. In the hinterland of the Inner Mongolia plateau, they have written a chapter of relentless progress for the energy builders of the new era. Through 11 months of day-and-night battles, 64 wind turbines rose from the ground on the steppe and successfully connected to the grid, injecting the steppe with green power momentum to help implement the country’s “dual carbon” strategy.

Choosing the site in Xiling: A treasure trove of wind resources powering green energy projects

Located in the hinterland of the Inner Mongolia plateau, Xilinhot enjoys uniquely favorable wind energy resources. The average annual wind speed exceeds 7–8 meters per second, and the effective wind hours are more than 7,000 hours—making it a prime location for building large-scale wind power bases. In response to the national “peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality” strategic deployment, in 2024, China Energy Engineering—Dongdian Second Company took on the heavy responsibility of constructing Xilinhot City’s key new energy project—namely the Xilinhot City TaiFur Energy 400MW wind power project.

The project has a total installed capacity of 400MW. It plans to install 64 wind power generating units with a single-unit capacity of 6.25MW. It is a flagship project for Xilinhot City to upgrade its new energy industry and accelerate the transformation of the regional energy structure. Since the project officially started, from preparation to engineering design, team members have repeatedly gone deep into the steppe to conduct on-site surveys, formulated tailored construction plans based on the local geographical environment and climate characteristics, and laid a solid foundation for the project to start smoothly.

Intense battles through cold and heat: Willpower and steadfastness at the steppe construction site

The weather on the Xilingol steppe is the project’s biggest “roadblock.” “Wear a cotton jacket in the morning and a thin gauze dress at noon; gather around the stove to eat watermelons” is a true reflection of the local climate. In winter, extreme low temperatures can reach as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius. There are more than 180 days of strong winds of level 6 or above each year, and the effective construction window is very limited. But this young team has never backed down. With the resilience of “fighting the severe cold and battling the scorching heat,” they launched one after another of construction breakthrough campaigns on the steppe.

In April 2025, the project officially started. The test of midsummer came immediately. In July on the Xilingol steppe, the sun blazed the earth without any cover. Surface temperatures repeatedly exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, with intense heat waves pressing in. There was no shade at the construction site; the soil underfoot was baked hot. Yet the project management personnel always stood firm on the front line, supervising each construction process on-site under high temperatures—from rebar tying to concrete pouring—strictly controlling safety and quality throughout the entire process. Sweat soaked into work clothes, and sunburn darkened their skin, but no one complained or retreated. Ultimately, the team fully completed the pouring of foundations for 64 wind turbines within the construction period required by the owner, setting a strong start for the project’s smooth implementation.

The lingering heat of the sweltering summer had not yet dissipated when the challenge of extreme cold arrived in succession. After winter set in during 2025, the Xilinhot area was hit by multiple waves of strong cold air. The lowest temperatures suddenly dropped to below minus 30 degrees Celsius. Winds at the construction site often exceeded level 7, posing severe challenges to wind turbine lifting operations. In October, the project entered the peak period for lifting wind turbines. To seize the rare windless window, the team developed a detailed winter construction plan and implemented 24-hour shift-based work. Party member assault teams led the charge, with members braving biting cold winds; their fingers were stiff with frost yet they operated equipment with precision. Their cheeks were blown red by wind and snow, yet they stayed on their posts. From the first wind turbine lifting on August 16, 2025, to the final wind turbine being positioned on January 16, 2026, 64 wind turbines were successively erected amid wind and snow, becoming brand-new green landmarks on the steppe.

Meticulous refinement: Craftsmanship management to build premium projects

“Youthfulness” is the hallmark of this team, and also the driving force behind its innovation confidence. With an average age of under 35, they carry deep in their bones the determination and grit of “daring to tackle hard bones.” They have always believed that “each wind turbine has a life of its own, and it should be made to deliver its maximum effectiveness.” To achieve this goal, the team relied on fine-grained management, supported by technological innovation, and integrated the spirit of craftsmanship into every detail of project construction.

In construction scheduling, the team innovated with a model of “filling the space, maintaining continuous time, and seamless processes,” precisely breaking down the overall progress plan into hourly milestones. This ensured that every construction link connected tightly with the next—so that work advanced efficiently. During the course of project construction, sudden situations occurred, such as delays in equipment deliveries and blocked transportation routes. The project department proactively took on the coordinating responsibility. It promptly linked multiple units including equipment suppliers, transportation teams, and lifting teams, established an efficient communication mechanism, allocated resources with precision, and ensured that at the construction site, “when materials arrive, they are used immediately, and lifting will succeed every time,” minimizing the impact of unexpected situations on the schedule as much as possible.

Company leaders also always cared about project construction. They repeatedly went deep into the construction site to provide on-site guidance, addressing difficulties and bottlenecks in advancing the project, encouraging the team, and providing solid assurance for the project to proceed smoothly. From wind turbine foundation pouring to equipment lifting, from cable laying to commissioning and testing, in every link and every process, the team used a standard of “zero discrepancies, zero mistakes” and a meticulous, excellence-seeking attitude to build premium projects.

Red leadership: Party-building empowerment to forge a formidable force

At the project construction site, the Party flags always flew high. For this team, Party building is not a slogan hung on a wall, but a soul embedded in the bloodstream—an even stronger red engine driving project construction. Before the project started, the project Party branch was formally established. It deeply integrated Party building work with engineering construction—so that the Party branch is built on the project, the Party flag is planted at the construction site, and Party members become the vanguard and main force in project construction.

In early 2026, the project entered the critical stage of grid connection commissioning—this was the final gate determining whether the project could be put into operation smoothly. At this time, the steppe’s cold wind was still cutting. The tasks for grid connection commissioning were heavy, the time was tight, and the requirements were high. The project Party branch quickly formed a Party member assault team, led the construction crews to stand by around the clock, and stationed themselves at the commissioning site. With the pioneering spirit of “not fearing hardship and daring to endure,” team members investigated problems and commissioned equipment through the night, without missing any detail. Their steadfastness and responsibility ensured the smooth advancement of grid connection commissioning.

The team includes both experienced wind power “veterans” and also 00s recruits who have just left campus. To help young employees grow rapidly, the project department strictly implemented the company’s “mentor-apprentice” system. It arranged one-on-one guidance from veteran employees to new employees, passing down construction experience, technical techniques, and safety standards in full. Through the grind of real work on the construction site, young employees quickly shed their initial naivety, becoming capable hands who can stand on their own—realizing the “continuation of youth and blue meets blue, and generations pass on responsibilities and skill.”

The project department is located on a remote steppe, far from the hustle and bustle of cities. Yet the team carefully created a warm “big family.” The members of the leadership team each took on multiple responsibilities; they were both commanders and fighters, eating, living, and working alongside front-line employees. They regularly organized cultural and sports activities to enrich employees’ leisure life. They continuously improved meal conditions so workers could eat comfortably and work with peace of mind. With these considerate actions, the builders far from home could feel the warmth of “family,” and a powerful force of unity and shared determination was forged to move forward together.

Feelings for the steppe: A harmonious blueprint jointly drawn by the enterprise and local community

“Going alone is fast; going together is far.” The project team has always firmly believed that excellent engineering not only needs solid technical performance targets, but also must integrate with local development—coexisting with the steppe and sharing one heart with herders. The project site is located in a steppe ecological conservation area, where environmental requirements are stringent. The team has embedded the philosophy of “prioritizing ecology and pursuing green development” throughout the entire construction process, carefully protecting the green waters and mountains of the steppe.

To minimize disturbances to the steppe as much as possible, the construction roads were laid along existing herding paths whenever possible, avoiding any unnecessary excavation. The road construction used mud-and-gravel stone surfaces; compared with traditional concrete road surfaces, it reduced construction waste emissions by more than 80%. During construction, the team properly protected the steppe’s topsoil and native vegetation, delineated dedicated construction areas, and strictly prohibited any arbitrary destruction. The team committed that after construction ends, they will restore vegetation of temporary land occupation as the first priority. This way, while the wind turbines keep turning in the wind, the grassland beneath their feet remains lush and green.

While safeguarding the ecology, the team also always kept the herdsmen in mind, actively participating in local public welfare and building a “heart-to-heart bridge” between the enterprise and the local community through small actions. After learning that the herding areas were far away and that infrastructure was lagging, the project department quickly organized professional construction personnel and Party member volunteers. It formed a volunteer service team to repair and level rough roads for the herding areas and to rebuild and reinforce brick walls that posed high risk. In the winter, when wind and snow were too heavy and power lines in nearby herders’ households were knocked down and broken, the project department immediately formed a Party member assault team. Carrying generators, they rushed to herders’ homes to urgently restore electricity, staying on the job until the power utility’s maintenance personnel arrived and resolved the herders’ urgent needs. These warm-hearted actions won high recognition and trust from local government and herders, creating a good enterprise-local atmosphere for project construction.

Bringing power at full speed: 11 months of intense battle to achieve full-capacity grid connection

Time does not fail those who work the land; effort always yields rewards. After 11 months of battles through cold and heat—overcoming one challenge after another and tackling one problem after another—the project’s historic moment arrived on February 5, 2026: the Xilinhot City TaiFur Energy 400MW wind power project successfully completed the full-capacity grid connection for all 64 wind turbines. From excavating the foundation for the first wind turbine to the successful grid connection of all wind turbines, this team of steppe wind-chasers, through day after day of steadfast dedication and hard work, delivered an excellent construction answer sheet.

When the last wind turbine successfully connected to the grid, the wind turbine array on the steppe slowly began to rotate. It turned the steppe’s strong winds into clean electricity, delivering it continuously to thousands of households. Team members could hardly contain their excitement. They embraced each other to celebrate. Behind this were countless days and nights of steadfastness, the grit to push through headwinds and snow, and the pursuit of excellence. The 64 wind turbines are the stele they raised on the steppe; the 11 months of hard fighting are the chapter of struggle written with their youth.

Now, as the wind turbines on the steppe turn with the wind, they play the prelude to green development. This wind-chasing team has not stopped moving forward. Carrying the spirit of “true belief, true doing, and true results,” they will continue to ride the strong winds of the times along the track of new energy development—contributing more stories of progress from energy builders for implementing the country’s “dual carbon” strategy and for green development in steppe regions.

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