OREANDA-NEWS. October 09, 2013. After comprehensive system debugging and 168-hour test run, the world’s first 1000kV UHV AC demonstration project with double circuit towers, transporting electricity from Huainan to Shanghai, ushered in an exciting moment to be put into operation under numerous builders’ toil and hope.

At 10:00, the ceremony began in Beijing. SGCC Director, General Manager and Party member Shu Yinbiao announced that the project had been put into operation officially. SGCC Deputy General Manager and Party member, Shuai Junqing presided over the ceremony.

Shu said this project was the fourth UHV project following 1000kV Jindongnan Nanyang-Jingmen UHV AC, Xiangjiaba - Shanghai and Jinping - Sunan ±800 kV UHV DC projects, marking the formation of national grid’s “Two AC, Two DC” UHV pattern. It was an important milestone in the world’s electricity development and also a big innovation breakthrough after Jindongnan Nanyang-Jingmen UHV AC demonstration project. The project would further validate the UHV AC transmission’s advantages on high-capacity, long-distance, low-loss and less land occupied, having an important significance in promoting the scientific development of China's electricity industry and equipment manufacturing, and ensuring the reliable electricity supply and national energy security.

The project, which started in October 2011 and completed in August 2013, is entirely by our own design, manufacturing and construction. It includes four substations and three lines: starting at Anhui Huainan substation, via Anhui Wannan substation and Zhejiang Zhebei substation and ending at Shanghai Huxi substation with a total transformer capacity of 21GA. The 1297.4 kilometers’ line passes through Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai and steps over the Huaihe River and the Yangtze River. The nominal voltage is 1000 kV and the maximum operating voltage can reach 1100kV, using the rated capacity of 3GA UHV transformer and rated breaking current of 63kA sulfur hexafluoride gas insulated switchgear. The whole line is constructed with the double circuit towers.

Accelerating the construction of UHV power grid and promoting the distant electricity replacing coal and oil have a great strategic significance on stimulating the safe, efficient and clean energy development, ecological civilization construction and the harmonious development of society and economy. The project, connecting Huainan and Huaibei coal bases and East China load center, will cooperate with Xiangjiaba – Shanghai and Jinping - Sunan HVDC projects to significantly enhance the East China grid’s capacity on absorbing the outside electricity, security and stability and further promote the harmonious development of the regional economy and society.

The ceremony set up the parallel sessions at State Grid Shanghai, Zhejiang and Anhui Electric Power Company. The General Manager of China Energy Engineering Group Co. Ltd Ding Yanzhang, SGCC assistant general manager and the director of AC Construction Department Sun Xin and SGCC Chief Engineer Zhang Qiping attended the ceremony in the plenary.