ABB has successfully tested the low and high voltage units of the world’s most powerful ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) transformer. The +/-1,100 kV UHVDC transformer, developed and manufactured in close collaboration with State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), has successfully passed a series of type tests, paving the way for the implementation of the Changji-Guquan UHVDC link, which will transmit power from the Xinjiang region in the Northwest, to Anhui province in eastern China, a release from ABB said.
Changji-Guquan, the world’s first +/-1,100 kV UHVDC link will set a new world record in terms of voltage level, transmission capacity and distance. It will be capable of transporting 12,000 mw of electricity – the equivalent of 12 large power plants and 50 per cent more than the +/- 800kV UHVDC links currently in operation. Transmission distance will be extended from around 2,000 km to over 3,000 km, enabling the integration and transmission of remote renewables on a much larger scale.
China has major consumption centers in the east, while a significant amount of its energy resources are in the west and northwest. The expansive geography and increasing demand have prompted the build-up of ultra high voltage links to increase transmission capacity while minimizing losses.
When fully operational this UHVDC link will be able to feed eight 500kV and two 1,000kV AC lines – delivering power equivalent to twice the average annual power consumption of Switzerland. ABB’s latest breakthrough also makes it possible to connect +/-1,100 kV DC with 750 kV UHVAC links for the first time. In addition to the transformer, ABB has also developed and successfully tested a range of other key +/-1,100 kV components, including converter valves, bushings and DC circuit breakers.
ABB pioneered HVDC technology more than 60 years ago and is the global market leader with over 110 HVDC projects, representing a total installed capacity of more than 120,000 mw – around half of the world’s installed base, the release noted.
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Siemens tests world’s first 1,100kV HVDC transformer