Digitized and Integrated Water Resources Management and Utilization by an Agglomerate Energy Company in the Yellow River Basin

Abstract This study aims to address water scarcity and pollution faced by energy companies in the Yellow River Basin by developing a digitized and integrated water resources management system from the corporate perspective. A multi-objective optimization framework supplemented with linear programming was established to coordinate multiple water users, quality grades, and spatiotemporal constraints. Key methods included a standardized water data system, a digital control and display center, and a whole-life-cycle management platform. The results show that the proposed model, implemented at the Ningdong Coal-Power-Chemical Industrial Base, significantly improved the allocation efficiency of multi-source water resources, narrowed the water supply-demand gap, and enhanced the comprehensive utilization of unconventional water (e.g., mine water). Specifically, out of approximately 6.5 billion m3 of mine water generated annually in the basin, the model helped increase the utilization rate from around 31% to a substantially higher level, reducing reliance on Yellow River surface water. These findings demonstrate that digital and integrated water resources management can achieve quality-based differentiated water use, fit-for-purpose supply, and clean discharge, thereby enabling synergistic and sustainable energy production in the Yellow River Basin.