At dusk on July 15, in early summer, we arrived at the thousand-mu lotus pond in Xiangdian Town, Xixian County, Xinyang City, Henan Province. The crimson sunset was about to sink below the horizon as a pair of graceful swallows soared side by side in the sky, darting far and near and tracing elegant arcs. Endless lotus leaves covered the pond, with their red, pink and white flowers in full blossom swaying gently in the breeze. Not too far away, a duck paddled leisurely beneath an arched wooden footbridge, where an endless stream of tourists strolled, stopping now and then amid the constant chirping of cicadas to watch dragonflies resting on lotus stalks.

Located on the border between northern and southern China in both geography and culture, Xixian County has leveraged its unique natural scenery to build an integrated ecological industrial chain. The county combines lotus viewing, fish and shrimp breeding, a beach park, barbecue catering, floating restaurants, and sightseeing trains in its efforts to develop a distinctive lotus-based local economy. Since the construction of scenic spots and the operation of recreational facilities are highly reliant on power supply, power outages would severely damage tourists' travel experience.

From the initial planning and construction stage of the Thousand-Mu Lotus Pond Scenic Area, State Grid Xixian Power Supply Company has rolled out one-on-one full-process follow-up services. The company completed insulation upgrades for surrounding high-voltage power lines in advance, optimized power grid routes in coordination with local road improvement projects, and relocated all overhead high-voltage lines above the lotus pond 500 meters to the west of the scenic area. Meanwhile, overhead lines within the scenic zone were converted to underground cables, completely eliminating visual obstruction and potential safety hazards. On top of that, the company also assisted operators in transformer capacity expansion, storing abundant power to fuel the vigorous development of the local lotus economy.

During cultural tourism events and peak tourist seasons, the State Grid Xixian Power Supply Company arranges for dedicated staff to be stationed on site. The team carries out comprehensive line inspections, hidden danger investigations and emergency duty work, ensuring that operations and power supply are safe and reliable.

Today, the annual agritourism-themed festival "Meet the Lotus, Embrace the Lively Summer" has become a landmark rural cultural tourism event in Xixian County. Every year, its immersive authentic rural customs experiences, the beauty of the blossoming lotus flowers and the delicious local specialties attract large numbers of tourists. The lotus economy has gradually grown into a pillar industry that stabilizes villagers' income growth and speeds up rural development, helping more than 200 surrounding households achieve an average annual income increase of 12,000 yuan.

（By Yang Jie and Zhang Qiqing）