Diesel Generators: Infrastructure Emergency Support Against Typhoons and Natural Disasters
Frequent extreme natural disasters such as typhoons and rainstorms not only threaten people’s lives and property but also pose severe challenges to the resilience of urban infrastructure. Once hit by typhoon-induced power outages, waterlogging and other emergencies, core infrastructure including urban rail transit, tunnels, bridges and power pipe networks is prone to paralysis, disrupting the normal operation of cities. Against this backdrop, diesel generators , with their outstanding reliability, high efficiency and flexibility, have emerged as a key emergency force against natural disasters and infrastructure safety guardians. They form the final power supply line of defense for urban infrastructure and serve as a solid safeguard for people’s livelihoods.
The destructive impact of typhoons and similar disasters on urban infrastructure is mostly reflected in the collapse of power systems. When severe typhoons make landfall, strong winds easily damage transmission lines, substations and other power facilities. Waterlogging caused by heavy rain may corrode underground power cables and submerge power distribution equipment, triggering large-scale blackouts. When Super Typhoon Hagupit hit the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area directly, it suspended outdoor sections of Hong Kong’s metro, paralyzed airports and caused localized power cuts, exposing the vulnerability of urban infrastructure in the face of extreme disasters.
The normal operation of urban infrastructure relies heavily on a continuous power supply. Without electricity, emergency lighting and drainage systems of subways, ventilation and monitoring equipment in tunnels, structural health monitoring systems of bridges, and essential civilian emergency facilities will all grind to a halt, potentially triggering secondary disasters. This is where diesel generators
deliver their core value. Independent of the public power grid and equipped with self-contained fuel supply, they can start instantly when mains power fails, delivering stable electricity to critical infrastructure and curbing the expansion of disaster losses.
As an irreplaceable emergency power source for core infrastructure protection, diesel generators boast unique advantages over other backup energy solutions. Featuring exceptional reliability and stability, they have a robust structure and low failure rates. With sufficient fuel reserves, they can generate power independently for a long time without being affected by external environmental conditions — an edge that new energy solutions like solar power and energy storage systems cannot match.
They also cover a wide power range from hundreds of kilowatts to thousands of kilowatts, enabling flexible model selection to meet diverse infrastructure needs. They can supply high-power electricity for large facilities such as subway depots and tunnels, as well as basic power for small emergency stations. More importantly, modern intelligent diesel generators are equipped with automatic transfer switch control systems, which can start and switch power supply automatically within 10 to 15 seconds after a mains power failure, responding rapidly to emergencies and winning precious time for infrastructure rescue operations. In addition, diesel has a high flash point and is easy and safe to store. It can be pre-stored in key infrastructure areas to meet long-term emergency power demands during typhoons and other disasters, further enhancing overall emergency reliability.
Taking Xiamen’s local infrastructure protection practices as an example, the application of diesel generators
in typhoon prevention has become normalized and standardized, serving as a vital pillar for safeguarding urban infrastructure safety. As a coastal city, Xiamen faces constant threats from typhoons and heavy rainfall every flood season, making flood and typhoon prevention for subways, tunnels and other core infrastructure a top priority.
During the impact of Typhoon Gaemi, four large diesel generators were reserved at Xiamen Metro Gaoqi Depot, paired with supporting drainage equipment. They were dedicated to emergency power supply in case of power outages and waterlogging at station sites, ensuring uninterrupted operation of flood control, drainage and emergency lighting systems and building a solid flood defense barrier for the metro.
In the power distribution upgrade of Xiamen Haicang Xinyang Tunnel, a transportation hub supporting metro lines, two additional 400kW emergency diesel generators were installed. In the event of a mains power cut, they maintain normal operation of tunnel lighting, monitoring and ventilation systems, forming an emergency linkage with Metro Lines 3 and 4 and improving the disaster resistance of the entire transportation hub.
Furthermore, during the construction phase of Xiamen Metro Line 6, although new energy rail welding equipment has replaced traditional diesel generators to reduce pollution, diesel generators are still retained as backup power sources to cope with sudden power failures at any time, guaranteeing construction safety and progress. These practices fully prove that diesel generators have been deeply integrated into Xiamen’s infrastructure emergency support system, becoming a solid backbone against typhoon disasters.
With the advancement of new urban infrastructure construction, building resilient cities has become a national consensus, placing higher requirements on the role of diesel generators in infrastructure emergency protection. National policies clearly emphasize strengthening emergency support capacity, promoting the construction of local emergency power supplies, and enhancing power guarantee capabilities for key infrastructure under extreme conditions.
This requires not only rational deployment of diesel generator equipment but also improvement of the overall emergency support system. On the one hand, we shall select models scientifically and make rational layout according to the power demand of different infrastructure facilities. Diesel generators and fuel reserves should be adequately stocked at key locations such as metro stations, tunnels and bridges, with regular equipment inspection and commissioning to ensure they are readily available, fully functional and stable when disasters strike. On the other hand, a sound emergency linkage mechanism should be established to coordinate diesel generator power supply with infrastructure rescue and power grid repair. Power supply priority shall be clarified to ensure the stable operation of critical systems including emergency lighting, drainage and monitoring. Meanwhile, professional training for operators should be strengthened to improve emergency response capabilities and ensure efficient operation of generators.
Natural disasters are inevitable, yet we can minimize losses by optimizing the emergency support system. As core emergency power supply equipment amid typhoons and extreme disasters, diesel generators provide reliable power to safeguard urban infrastructure and protect urban operation and people’s well-being. From emergency reserves for Xiamen Metro to disaster prevention practices of infrastructure nationwide, diesel generators always stand on the front line of emergency response and serve as an indispensable part of urban infrastructure resilience development.
In the future, with continuous technological upgrading, diesel generators will become more energy-efficient, eco-friendly and intelligent. Combined with digital and intelligent emergency management solutions, they will provide stronger support for urban infrastructure to withstand natural disasters, helping build more resilient and safer urban living environments.