ABB has won a large order to supply converter transformers and high-voltage equipment for an 800kV, ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission link, owned by the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), in China’s Shaanxi and Hubei provinces.
The 1100km-long power transmission link will transport up to 8000MW of electricity, enough to meet the needs of around eight million people in China. “The ultrahigh-voltage (UHV) transmission equipment from ABB is an important milestone in realizing SGCC’s vision of building stronger and greener grids. These UHV super-grids will enable the reliable integration of ever more power sources from remote areas into the power grids of urban centers,” said Claudio Facchin, President of ABB’s Power Grids business.
Converter transformers receive electricity from nearby power stations and increase their voltage to extremely high levels, in order to transport it over long distances and with minimal losses. Near to the end consumer, similar transformers will decrease the voltage in order to ensure distribution to the local grid. High-voltage equipment includes breakers, which protect the grid from disruptive faults, and capacitor banks which improve the quality of the electricity supply, thus increasing the product lifespan and helping to reduce losses.
ABB was a key technology provider to SGCC’s first ultra-high-voltage direct current transmission link. The 6400MW, 2000km-long Xiangjiaba-Shanghai link, provides hydroelectric power from South West China to Shanghai. Since then, ABB has partnered with SGCC in several key projects.
At 8000MW transmission, the Shanbei-Wuhan link will be among the world’s most powerful and is an important step for SGCC in developing global UHVDC systems standards.
