New Year’s Day: Dalian Thermal Power Plant Explosion Exposed Online, Official Announcement Pending

On January 29, 2025, which was the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, a thermal power plant in Dalian, China exploded, sending billows of thick smoke soaring into the sky. Videos circulating online captured the dramatic scene, showing the thick smoke rising high into the air.

The next day, on January 30th, several videos circulated on mainland Chinese social media platforms, depicting the explosion at the thermal power plant in Dalian on January 29th. While the videos showed thick smoke billowing into the air, the exact location of the incident was not confirmed, with some suggesting it was near the Xiangshui Bay neighborhood. Despite a day passing since the explosion, there has been no official announcement from authorities, and mainland Chinese media have not reported on the incident.

Online comments from netizens included speculations and observations regarding the incident. Some remarked that their family members had been urgently called to duty in response to the explosion. Others speculated on the possible causes of the explosion, pointing to issues such as boiler ruptures and desulfurization equipment malfunctions.

One netizen claimed to be affiliated with the unit in question and revealed detailed insights into the possible cause of the explosion involving steam pipelines and coal ash. However, the exact cause and extent of the damages remain unclear at this point.

Some netizens shared their own videos of the incident but claimed to have received warnings from authorities to delete them. One netizen recounted being asked to take down their video, as it was deemed to have far-reaching impact despite intending to raise awareness of the incident.

The explosion at the thermal power plant raises concerns about the transparency of information and the handling of industrial accidents in China. The authorities have been known to suppress details of accidents in the name of maintaining stability. Just days prior to this incident, a major explosion occurred at the “Dadong Subsidiary Food Market” in Shenyang, Liaoning, where Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping had visited for inspection. The motives behind that explosion and the extent of casualties remain undisclosed to this day.