Shaanxi starts operation of third 750-kV north-south power transmission channel

The Northern Shaanxi-Guanzhong 750-kilovolt power transmission and transformation project began operation on June 30, becoming the third artery in Shaanxi's "north-to-south power transmission" program.

The project runs from the Shuofang substation in Shenmu, Yulin city, in the north to the Bailuyuan substation in Lantian county, Xi'an city, in the south with the total length of 1,271 kilometers.

Shaanxi's main grid will be upgraded from a 日-shaped to a 田-shaped structure, and power transmission capacity from northern Shaanxi to Guanzhong will rise to more than 9 million kilowatts from the current 6.3 million kW.

The project can replace 7 million metric tons of raw coal consumption and cut 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year, equivalent to planting 760 million trees, improving regional grid reliability and promoting new energy absorption.

As a demonstration project for the deployment of domestically produced high-end power equipment, it is China’s first pilot application of domestically produced closing resistors at 750-kV. It achieves independent control and domestic substitution of core components in high-end power equipment, laying a foundation for the later promotion and application of ultrahigh-voltage projects.

It also improves the grid's fault-resistance capability and system stability, and drives upgrading of the domestic power equipment industry chain.

The project crosses northern Shaanxi and Guanzhong, passing through 18 districts and counties in four cities: Yulin, Yan'an, Weinan and Xi'an. The meteorological and topographical conditions are complex, while the construction technical requirements and operational risks are high.

Since construction began, it utilized big data and artificial intelligence to make project process control intelligent and precise, advancing construction safely, with high quality and efficiency.

"After the project is put into operation, the new energy base in northern Shaanxi will have an additional 18 billion kilowatt-hours of outward transmission capacity each year, creating conditions for Guanzhong to orderly shut down old thermal power units and continuously optimize its power source structure, and enabling hydropower and pumped-storage power stations in southern Shaanxi to participate in peak shaving (an energy management strategy) as a cluster," said Zhao Yingbo, director of the construction department at State Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Co.