Research and application of UHV power transmission in China

• Published in: High voltage Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 1 - 13
• Main Authors: Shu, Yinbiao, Chen, Weijiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 01.03.2018; Wiley
• Subjects: AC UHV projects; China; circuit breakers; converter valves; current transformers; DC transmission control-and-protection systems; electromagnetic environment control; energy resource; external insulation design; gas insulated transmission lines; HVDC power convertors; large-capacity power transmission; optimal energy allocation; overvoltage; overvoltage suppression; power demands; power transformers; power transmission control; power transmission protection; reactors (electric); Review Article; series compensated equipment; smoothing reactors; UHV alternative current transformers; UHV direct current converter transformers; UHV power transmission systems; UHV projects; UHVAC gas-insulated lines; UHVAC line crossover; UHVAC transformers; UHVDC converter transformers; UHVDC power transmission technology; ultrahigh voltage power transmission systems; Yangtze River; large-capacity power transmission; HVDC power convertors; smoothing reactors; UHVAC transformers; converter valves; DC transmission control-and-protection systems; optimal energy allocation; UHV alternative current transformers; Yangtze River; overvoltage suppression; gas insulated transmission lines; UHV power transmission systems; China; UHV projects; power transmission protection; ultrahigh voltage power transmission systems; power demands; circuit breakers; UHVDC power transmission technology; current transformers; UHV direct current converter transformers; series compensated equipment; external insulation design; power transformers; UHVDC converter transformers; UHVAC gas-insulated lines; UHVAC line crossover; reactors (electric); power transmission control; electromagnetic environment control; overvoltage; AC UHV projects; energy resource
• ISSN: 2397-7264; 2397-7264
• DOI: 10.1049/hve.2018.0003

The power demand increases rapidly in China; however, the areas of huge power demands are of long distance from most areas of abundant energy resource in the country. Therefore, China put in great effort to develop ultrahigh voltage (UHV) power transmission systems to optimise its energy allocation. This includes (i) systematically developing key technologies such as overvoltage suppression, external insulation design, and electromagnetic environment control, and (ii) developing key equipment such as UHV alternative current (UHVAC) transformers, circuit breakers, and series compensated equipment, and UHV direct current (UHVDC) converter transformers, smoothing reactors, converter valves, and DC transmission control and protection systems. Eight AC UHV projects and 11 DC UHV projects have been built in China, which play an important role in the optimal allocation of energy. Plus there are one more UHVAC and three more UHVDC transmission projects in construction, while UHVAC gas-insulated lines will be applied in the UHVAC line crossover the Yangtze River and the ±1100 kV UHVDC power transmission technology is in development. Here, the development and application of UHV power transmission technologies in China are described, some main challenges the UHV projects encountered are discussed, and experiences obtained from the operation of UHV systems are introduced. It is concluded that China obtained mature experience in developing, constructing, and operating UHV systems and successfully realised long-distance, large-capacity power transmission, and the UHV power transmission technology has become an important measure for energy allocation in large areas.