The Ministry of Water Resources and the National Development and Reform Commission announced on November 1 that the Three Gorges project had been certified as complete . The acceptance testing conclusion shows that the construction has been fully completed with excellent quality, meeting regulations and design requirements. During operation it has been maintained in good condition, delivering comprehensive benefits in flood control, power generation, shipping, and water resources utilization.

The Three Gorges Hydropower Station is the world’s largest hydropower station in terms of total installed capacity. The Three Gorges power transmission and transformation project (The project) is to transmit all the electricity generated by the plant. Since functioning in 2003, the project’s equipment has been in stable condition and sound operation, ensuring that energy generated is well delivered. By the end of October this year, the total power transimssion exceeded 1,360 TWh, equivalent to a reduction of 430 million tons of standard coal and 1.169 billion tons of CO2 emissions, ensuring reliable power supply for load centers including East China, Central China, Guangdong etc.

Began in 1997, completed in 2011 and passed its acceptance tests in 2015, the project consists of 91 individual projects, relevant secondary systems, and the Three Gorges underground power station. The AC and DC lines stretch 7,280 km and 4,913 km, respectively, with 22.75 GVA substations and 24 GW converter stations.

The project has remarkably served the grids interconnection nationwide and the power transmission from west to east . It improved China’s cross-regional transmission capacity, supplying clean hydropower to the central and eastern China and alleviating the environmental pressure in these areas. It is also conducive to the allocation of energy resources in a larger scale, in a way that brings into full play the power generation, networking, and social benefits of the plant.

Thanks to the scientific and technological innovation, fruitful results have been made through the project. For example, the research, complete design, and engineering design of the DC power transmission system has been carried out independently. All equipment required for the EHV AC and DC transmission has been manufactured by local enterprises, a step forward for China's power transmission and transformation equipment manufacturing industry. The project is an important milestone in the history of China’s power industry in that it establishes China as a powerhouse in grid construction and provides reference for follow-up projects.

Source: State Grid News