April 10, 2013
ABB Ltd said it has won an USD 150 million order to supply converter transformers, DC (direct current) and other key components for the world’s highest capacity power link in China.
Once completed in 2014, the 8,000 MW Xiluodu-Zhexi link will be capable of transmitting the energy equivalent of eight large power plants and supplying 40 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year – enough to meet the needs of over 11 million Chinese consumers.
The use of renewable hydropower will also help avoid combustion of more than 12 million metric tons of coal, reducing potential carbon emissions by about 34 million tons annually.
The 800 kV ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission connection will transport hydropower over a distance of 1,670 kilometers, from Yibin in Sichuan province in southwest China to Zhejiang province on the east coast.
ABB will supply converter transformers, DC (direct current) filter capacitors and other key components. As part of the transmission process, converter transformers provide a critical interface between the DC link and the alternating current (AC) network.