National Research Institute for Rural Electrification is located at Xueyuan Road of Hangzhou, China and it is the only national research institution for rural electrification in the country. In Jan. 2002, the Institute was designated to be under the management of Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute. The Institute is also called Hangzhou Regional Center for Small Hydropower (HRC), a regional organization with the mission of promoting SHP development by means of training, consultation, R+D and information dissemination for the Asia-Pacific region, as sponsored by UNIDO, UNDP and the Chinese government in 1981.

Areas of Interest:
◆ Rural electrification policy research;
◆ Rural hydropower & electrification planning, design, construction, installation, safe operation and maintenance;
◆ Rural electrification new technology research;
◆ Rural hydropower & electrification information exchange.

Research Missions:
Over 200 items of scientific research have been undertaken since its establishment, of which 20 items were awarded scientific progress prizes by the province or ministry, promoting the implementation of rural electrification and SHP program to replace firewood. Much has been scored in the research and production of containerized SHP station and new equipment for SHP station. Over 100 SHP design, refurbishing and construction supervision projects have been completed. SHP consultation service was provided to over 20 countries, undertaking 28 overseas SHP design and complete equipment supply projects, including 3 projects entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce. Numerous staff were sent to 91 counties in Tibet, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia and Qinhai for designing or refurbishing over 20 SHP stations or substations, training over 500 personnel. HRC has successfully held over 50 international SHP training workshops respectively sponsored by the UN organizations and relevant Chinese authorities. These events have been participated in by over 900 professionals and government officials from 105 countries over the world. The bimonthly SHP in Chinese and the quarterly SHP News in English, distributed to over 90 countries, are published. A lot of technical literature has been edited and published, including Norms of SHP Hydraulic Design, Standards of Primary Rural Electrification, SHP Economic Assessment Standards, Manual for SHP Mechanical & Electric Design, and Small Turbine Technology Manual.