GE Hydro Solutions has commissioned two of the four units of a major pumped storage project in China.
In a release, GE Hydro Solutions said that the first two units have been successfully delivered to the project, have passed the trial operation period, and are now connected to the grid.
GE Hydro Solutions was selected by Anhui Jinzhai Pumped Storage Power Co Ltd, one of the divisions of State Grid XinYuan, to supply four new 300-mw pumped storage turbines, generator-motors as well as the balance of plant equipment for the Anhui Jinzhai pumped storage power plant located in the Jinzhai County, Anhui Province, China.
The 1.2 GW project will play a role to help China achieve its goal to build more than 200 pumped storage stations with a combined capacity of 270 GW by 2025, GE Hydro said.
The Jinzhai pumped storage station is expected to save up to 89,500 tonnes of coal and reduce 179,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.
Giant batteries
These pumped storage units will act as giant batteries that will help solve grid stability challenges for the province: water is pumped from the lower to the upper reservoir in times of surplus energy and, in times of demand, water from the upper reservoir is released, generating electricity as the water passes through the turbine.
Highly flexible
Pascal Radue, President & CEO, GE Hydro Solutions, said: “Once the project is fully commissioned, the giant 1.2 GW hydro battery will offer a high level of flexibility and reliability to the local power grid. This demonstrates pumped storage solutions’ ability to solve some of the biggest challenges linked to the energy transition, in China and beyond”.
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Over 30 per cent global share
This project adds up to the 8,2 GW of pumped storage solutions GE has delivered in China, which represent more than 25 per cent of the installed base in the country. In the world, more than 30 per cent of hydro storage plants are equipped with GE technology, the GE release observed.
