Asia and Oceania

New Chinese pumped-storage hydro plant to be “world’s largest” when complete in 2021

Andritz has received a contract to supply two pump-turbines for what is to be the “world’s largest pumped storage power plant” when it is completed in 2021.

Andritz has received a contract to supply two pump-turbines for what is to be the “world’s largest pumped storage power plant” when it is completed in 2021.

The 3,600-MW Fengning plant, in Hebei Province in China, will be equipped with 12 300-MW pump-turbine units. They will be housed in an underground cavern. State Grid Xinyuan Co. Ltd. is developing the facility.

Andritz received a contract valued at just under €70 million (US$83.4 million) to supply two variable-speed pump-turbines for the facility. The scope of supply includes two pump-turbine motor-generator units with variable speed and a nominal capacity of 330 MVA in generator mode and of 354 MVA in pump mode, Andritz says. Additionally, AC excitation, governor, and protection and computer control systems will be supplied. Andritz says this is the first order to be awarded worldwide for supply of variable speed pump-turbine units to China.

The State Grid Corporation of China says construction on the power station began in May 2013. Total cost of the project is anticipated to be US$1.87 billion. This project is being built in two phases and is scheduled for completion in 2021. Annual power generation is anticipated to be 3.424 TWh.

The State Grid Corporation says the station will be connected to the Beijing-Tianjin-North Hebei grid with two 500-kV lines for “peak shaving, frequency modulation, phase modulation and emergency backup.” Fengning will also “boost local employment, facilitate tourism and farming industries, promote energy saving and emission reduction, help with climate change and have significant social, ecological and economic benefits,” the company says.

The site has long been considered for development, with preliminary preparation beginning in 1996. The site selection plan and pre-feasibility study report were completed in 2001. The National Development and Reform Commission approved the feasibility study report in 2010 and officially issued the approval in August 2012.

Many regions of the world are active in pumped storage work. Most recently, HydroWorld reported on a plan by the Australian Prime Minister to expedite feasibility studies for expansion of the Snowy Mountains pumped storage project.

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