ABB equipment to help transmit hydro in China

15 April 2020


ABB’s Power Grids business has won several major orders to supply advanced HVDC converter transformers and high-voltage equipment for three 800kV, ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission links, owned by the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), in China. The links will help in integrating hydropower, wind and solar power generation in the country.

“We are glad to see a recovery in demand for reliable and clean energy, as the Chinese economy gradually returns to normality following the COVID-19 outbreak. Ultrahigh-voltage electricity transmission, enabled by pioneering technologies from ABB, is a critical element of China’s vision of stronger and greener grids. We have full confidence in the resilience of China’s economy,” said Claudio Facchin, President of ABB’s Power Grids business.

The transmission links will be among the world’s most powerful, with each link able to transport up to 8000MW of electricity.

The 1700km Yazhong-Nanchang link is part of China’s West-East Electricity Transmission initiative. It helps the hydro-resource-rich Sichuan Province, Southwest China, to transmit green energy to the load center of Jiangxi Province in East China. Once complete, the project is expected to reduce approximately 16 million tons of coal consumption and 40 million tons of CO2 every year.

The 1100km Shaanbei-Wuhan link marks an important step for SGCC in developing global UHVDC systems standards. And the 1500km Qinghai-Henan project is a UHV channel specially designed for the transmission of clean energy, including solar and wind power.

As part of the solution, ABB Power Grids will provide key technologies to ensure and safeguard the reliable, efficient, and smooth transmission and distribution of electricity over these long-distance links – resulting in minimal losses and optimal power quality. Key technologies include HVDC converter transformers, components such as wall bushings, capacitor banks, dead tank breakers and HVDC switches.

ABB’s Power Grids business was a key technology provider to SGCC’s first UHVDC transmission link. The 6400 MW, 2000km-long Xiangjiaba-Shanghai link, provides hydroelectric power from South West China to the bustling city of Shanghai. 



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