The Yebatan Hydropower Station, a key project aimed at enhancing China’s energy mix, has marked a significant milestone with the successful installation of its first generator stator on Wednesday.
Located at the border of Baiyu County in Sichuan Province and Konjo County in Tibet, the hydropower station will have a total installed capacity of 2,240 MW upon completion. It is set to become the largest hydropower station on the upper Jinsha River.
The 15.6-meter-wide stator, a critical part of the power generator, was carefully lowered into place on Wednesday. This marks the beginning of the assembly process for the first generator unit.
Following the stator installation, further work will include tightening bolts, conducting tests, and calibrating the system. Once these steps are complete, the installation of the rotor and other turbine components will begin.
The hydropower station will consist of a dam, a flood discharge system, and a water diversion and power generation system. It is expected that the first batch of generating units will start operating by the end of 2025.
Liu Qiang, the executive director of China Huadian Corporation’s Yebatan branch, commented on the challenges the project faces, stating, “Since its approval in 2016, the project has encountered unique difficulties due to its high altitude, cold temperatures, and the complex construction conditions, including a large-span underground workshop and high ground stress. We’ve incorporated advanced technology and developed a smart management platform to maintain quality and ensure timely completion.”
Currently, the dam stands at a height of 171 meters and is planned to reach 217 meters, making it China’s tallest hydropower station under construction with a double-curved arch dam.
Once fully operational, the Yebatan Hydropower Station is expected to generate an average of 10.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. This will save 3.99 million tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 7.37 million tons annually.
The clean energy generated by the station will be transmitted to central China through the Jinshang-Hubei ±800 kV UHV DC transmission line, the world’s first large-capacity hydropower-photovoltaic hybrid DC transmission project.
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