Changji-Guquan UHVDC link

The Changji-Guquan UHVDC (ultrahigh-voltage direct current) link will transmit power from the Xinjiang region in the Northwest, to Anhui province in eastern China and will set a new world record in terms of voltage level, transmission capacity and distance.

The link will be capable of transmitting 12,000 megawatts of electricity - the equivalent of 12 large power plants, a 50 percent increase in transmission capacity, compared with the 800 kV UHVDC links currently in operation. This will also help extend the transmission distance from around 2,000 km to over 3,000 km and play a key role in integrating remote renewables on a large scale, transmitting power over greater distances and facilitating a more interconnected grid.

ABB supplies equipment including advanced converter transformers and components like bushings and tap changers. ABB will also supply the HVDC converter valves, DC circuit breakers, wall bushings and capacitors as well as provide system design support. The transformers will be among the most powerful in the world, meeting the most stringent performance, reliability and safety standards. Each transformer weighs 800 tons, measuring 32 meters in length. ABB’s state-of-the-art transformer manufacturing and testing facility in Chongqing as well as the local HVDC engineering and technology center will be actively involved in the delivery and execution of the project.