During this summer in Tongling city, Anhui province, the lush plants and fragrant scent of rice in the air herald the signs of a good harvest. Throughout this hotter season, Zhong Mingsheng, a customer manager of State Grid Tongling Yian District Power Supply Company, is charged with inspecting the shared agricultural irrigation equipment frequently.

On the topic of shared agricultural irrigation, Cui Qianqing, a local villager who is working in the fields believes that shared agricultural irrigation has indeed brought convenience for farmers as they can control the water pump switch at home with their phones.

In 2021, based on the concept of "people-oriented, tailored to local conditions and precise measures", State Grid Tongling Yian District Power Supply Company innovated the technical solutions and management models and created a new mode of shared electricity for agricultural production and a QR code for electricity terminals.

In Xilian town's Liqiao village, there are 177 parts of the shared agricultural irrigation system, serving 243 hectares of farming land and more than 500 farmer users. The shared agricultural irrigation system integrates the functions of QR code scanning, card swiping, real-time settlement and automatic payment. It is a true demonstration of how technological achievements can be used to drive rural development and production.

"Summer is a crucial period for crop growth. As a customer manager, I must pay attention to these irrigation devices to ensure the irrigation is in good condition," Zhong said.

Liqiao Water Town is a scenic area in Tongling. After a comprehensive facelift project in recent years, the enthusiasm of tourists coming to the town remains high, leading to a continuous increase in electricity demand for nearby rural homestays.

After completing the inspection, Zhong will go on to expand the electricity capacity for rural homestays. With more tourists visiting Liqiao this year, some business owners purchased larger freezers, so it is necessary to increase electricity capacity by 60 kilowatts.

Zhong prefers a door-to-door service, where he can help customers download the State Grid Online app and guide them on how to use it.

"This time, I didn't have to run around at all. It was effortless. It was installed in a day. The service is so considerate," a user said.

In recent years, State Grid Tongling Yian District Power Supply Company has empowered cultural and tourism rural areas by constructing and upgrading four courts and 5 kilometers of high and low-voltage lines. The renewal of low-voltage meter boxes and cable branch boxes brought distinctive beauty to the power equipment. The continuous improvement of intelligent devices such as electric vehicle charging stations, photovoltaic carports and smart sewage treatment facilities is helpful for rural energy conservation and emission reduction.

"In July, Liqiao hosts a lotus cultural festival, and in August, there's a lobster beer festival. The beautiful seasons not only attract local tourists but also many tourists from outside every day. During peak electricity consumption times, whenever I have time, I come to the scenic area to see if there is anything I can do to help," Zhong said.

At 4 pm, despite the scorching sun, the enthusiasm of visitors remains high. Families bring their elderly relatives and children for outings, while groups of friends and classmates enjoy sightseeing together. The ancient lanes, pavilions, pink walls, riverside homes and bustling boats nowadays showcase the success of rural vitalization. The small villages in people's memory have completely changed.

At night, strolling through the water town under the sky feels like entering a fairyland. Young ladies wearing Hanfu walk on the blue stone slabs, lingering in the ancient streets and on stone bridges. Various night activities come alive, including night sightseeing, evening tours, night markets, nighttime performances, nighttime festivals and leisure activities at nighttime cultural venues. Every night, people sing, dance and make short videos. Liqiao is becoming a popular destination for social media check-ins.

At the end of 2022, Liqiao Water Town Scenic Area was closed for upgrades. During the project implementation, State Grid Tongling Yian District Power Supply Company organized technical personnel to inspect the construction site multiple times. They conducted detailed checks on the equipment quality and installation of the scenic area's power facilities. They provided feedback and suggestions for improvements and verified the acceptance documents and various test reports of the project.

On April 12, the 10-kilo-Volt distribution project for the Mingtang Cultural Art Village in Liqiao Water Town, Tongling city, started supplying power. All power lines are laid underground to ensure the power supply needs of the scenic area.

After completing the inspection and temperature measurement of the distribution boxes and switches, Zhong rushed to the power station. The Water Town Liqiao Power Station covers an area of 140 square meters, showcasing rural vitalization through a smart, clean, economical and enjoyable electricity supply.

In addition to the exhibition area, the station also features an interactive experience area with some high-tech appliances, hand-cranked generators, and a one-kilowatt-hour electricity experience area. As a guide at the power station, Zhong explained electricity knowledge to the visitors and promoted safe and economical electricity usage.

With ample electrical support, the water town is attracting more and more visitors. As night falls and people return to their homes, the town returns to its original slow pace and quiet atmosphere. The company said the power station will continue to innovate with modern technology to support the development of Liqiao Water Town.