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First unit of China’s 10,200-MW Wudongde hydropower station connected to grid

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First unit of China’s 10,200-MW Wudongde hydropower station connected to grid

The first unit of the 10,200-MW Wudongde hydropower station has been connected to the grid for power generation and completed 72 hours of trial operation, according to a press release from GE Renewable Energy.

The project is owned by China Three Gorges and is located in the lower reaches of the Jinsha River. It is the third hydropower station with a capacity above 10,000 MW in China and the seventh in the world. The project is scheduled to be operational in 2021, reaching an annual power generation of 39 million MWh.

GE Hydro Solutions is providing six 850-MW Francis turbine-generator sets and related equipment for the project. The company says these are the world’s largest units ever used in a hydropower plant in terms of generating capacity.

“Congratulations to CTG and all the parties involved on the successful commissioning of the first unit of the WDD Hydropower Station. The fact that this giant unit of 850 MW is now up and running is a clear proof of the capabilities of our local design and manufacturing teams,” said Pascal Radue, chief executive officer of GE Renewable Energy Hydro Solutions. “For more than 20 years of cooperation, GE and CTG have established a long-term partnership in equipment supply and technology exchange. We share experiences, results and above all our mutual commitment to make hydropower a foundation of China’s future energy landscape.”

GE says it mobilized resources in China and throughout the world. The project management was led out of Tianjin, China, where most components were manufactured. The six turbine runners and the generator lower brackets, due to their exceptional size, were manufactured in an on-site facility. The first unit was delivered two months in advance.

GE Renewable Energy provides end-to-end solutions for customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400 GW of clean renewable energy.

Hydro Review reported in March 2016 that Voith received a contract to supply the other six turbine-generator units for this project.