4 The Transition of China’s Power System
137
4.3.1 UHV AC/DC Transmission Networks
4.3.1.1 Overview of UHV Transmission
The distribution of primary energy resources in China is quite the reverse to that
of the main load. Some 80% of primary energy resources such as coal, water and
wind are distributed in such remote areas as the western and northern regions with
low population density, small energy demand, underdeveloped economy and large
environmental capacity, while over 75% of energy consumption is concentrated in
economically developed and densely populated eastern regions such as BeijingTianjin-Tangshan area, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta. With the growth
of national economy, industrialization and the improvement of people’s living standards, China will continue to see surging power demand. With this in mind, largecapacity and long-distance transmission projects hold the key to energy balance. And
the scenario of massive west-to-east power transmission will remain well into the
future (Zhou et al. 2018).
HVAC and HVDC transmission projects developed rapidly in China. On January
6, 2009, the 1000 kV Southeast Shanxi-Nanyang-Jingmen UHV AC pilot demonstration project, the first of its kind in China, was put into operation. It marked the world’s
first 1000 kV transmission line for commercial use, harnessing complementary hydro
and thermal power production from NCG and CCG. On December 28, 2009, Southern
Grid’s ±800 kV UHV DC transmission project extending from Yunnan to Guangdong, independently designed by China, went into operation, meaning that China had
joined the ranks of world-leading nations in the research on key technologies of UHV
DC transmission and transformation and manufacturing of crucial equipment. China
had built nine UHV AC and ten DC lines by June 2019 and is building another three
UHV AC and one DC lines. The total length of operating UHV lines in the country
amounted to 27,570 km, and the total transformation (conversion) capacity stood at
296.2 million kVA (kW). By the end of 2019, China’s UHV lines had delivered more
than 1.15 trillion kWh of electricity cumulatively, making tremendous contribution
to stable power supply, clean energy development, environmental improvement and
grid safety. UHV AC and UHV DC power transmission projects won the National
Science and Technology Progress Awards in 2012 and 2017 respectively.
At present, AC/DC transmission projects among regional power grids in China
mainly include:
• SCG-CCG: ±500 kV Three Gorges-Guangdong DC transmission project (2003);
• NECG-NCG: ±500 kV Gaoling Back-to-Back DC transmission project (2008,
2012), ±800 kV Zhalute-Qingzhou DC transmission project (2017), 1000 kV
Southeast Shanxi-Nanyang-Jingmen UHV AC transmission project (2008);
• NWCG-CCG: Lingbao Back-to-Back DC transmission project (2009), ±500 kV
Debao DC transmission project (2009), ±800 kV Tianzhong DC transmission
project (2014), ±800 kV Jiuquan-Hunan DC transmission project (2017);
• NCG-NECG: ±660 kV Yindong DC transmission project (2010), 1000 kV
Yuheng-Weifang UHV AC transmission project (2017);
137
4.3.1 UHV AC/DC Transmission Networks
4.3.1.1 Overview of UHV Transmission
The distribution of primary energy resources in China is quite the reverse to that
of the main load. Some 80% of primary energy resources such as coal, water and
wind are distributed in such remote areas as the western and northern regions with
low population density, small energy demand, underdeveloped economy and large
environmental capacity, while over 75% of energy consumption is concentrated in
economically developed and densely populated eastern regions such as BeijingTianjin-Tangshan area, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta. With the growth
of national economy, industrialization and the improvement of people’s living standards, China will continue to see surging power demand. With this in mind, largecapacity and long-distance transmission projects hold the key to energy balance. And
the scenario of massive west-to-east power transmission will remain well into the
future (Zhou et al. 2018).
HVAC and HVDC transmission projects developed rapidly in China. On January
6, 2009, the 1000 kV Southeast Shanxi-Nanyang-Jingmen UHV AC pilot demonstration project, the first of its kind in China, was put into operation. It marked the world’s
first 1000 kV transmission line for commercial use, harnessing complementary hydro
and thermal power production from NCG and CCG. On December 28, 2009, Southern
Grid’s ±800 kV UHV DC transmission project extending from Yunnan to Guangdong, independently designed by China, went into operation, meaning that China had
joined the ranks of world-leading nations in the research on key technologies of UHV
DC transmission and transformation and manufacturing of crucial equipment. China
had built nine UHV AC and ten DC lines by June 2019 and is building another three
UHV AC and one DC lines. The total length of operating UHV lines in the country
amounted to 27,570 km, and the total transformation (conversion) capacity stood at
296.2 million kVA (kW). By the end of 2019, China’s UHV lines had delivered more
than 1.15 trillion kWh of electricity cumulatively, making tremendous contribution
to stable power supply, clean energy development, environmental improvement and
grid safety. UHV AC and UHV DC power transmission projects won the National
Science and Technology Progress Awards in 2012 and 2017 respectively.
At present, AC/DC transmission projects among regional power grids in China
mainly include:
• SCG-CCG: ±500 kV Three Gorges-Guangdong DC transmission project (2003);
• NECG-NCG: ±500 kV Gaoling Back-to-Back DC transmission project (2008,
2012), ±800 kV Zhalute-Qingzhou DC transmission project (2017), 1000 kV
Southeast Shanxi-Nanyang-Jingmen UHV AC transmission project (2008);
• NWCG-CCG: Lingbao Back-to-Back DC transmission project (2009), ±500 kV
Debao DC transmission project (2009), ±800 kV Tianzhong DC transmission
project (2014), ±800 kV Jiuquan-Hunan DC transmission project (2017);
• NCG-NECG: ±660 kV Yindong DC transmission project (2010), 1000 kV
Yuheng-Weifang UHV AC transmission project (2017);