ABB wins over $100 million converter transformer order in China

Update Time：2015-04-15

ABB has won orders worth over $100 million to supply converter transformers and components including wall bushings and circuit breakers for the Lingzhou-Shaoxing ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission link in China.

The company will supply 800 kV UHVDC converter transformers and components. These UHVDC transformers are based on innovative technology, for the first time connecting a 750 kV AC power supply grid that collects electricity from an array of power generation plants to an 800 kV UHVDC link, the company states in a press release.

The link will be the 7th 800 kilovolt (kV) UHVDC transmission system in the country and will help to deliver more electricity from remote power plants in China’s interior to growing urban areas, over longer distances with fewer losses. The order was booked in the first quarter of 2015.

The long-distance Lingzhou-Shaoxing (LingShao) +/- 800 kilovolt (kV) UHVDC transmission project will transfer 8,000 megawatts (MW) of power from Lingzhou in the northwestern Ningxia region to Shaoxing in the eastern Zhejiang province, stretching over a distance exceeding 1,700 kilometers.

This will be the world’s first 750 kV ultra-high-voltage alternating current (AC) to 800 kV UHVDC connection, an innovation that enhances the efficiency and capacity of long-distance UHV electricity delivery systems necessary for China’s growing economy. The products provided by ABB are scheduled to be commissioned in 2016.

China has major load centers in its eastern regions, while its energy resources are in the west and northwest. The expansive geography and increased demand over the last decade have prompted the country to increase its UHV transmission capacity, enabling delivery of power from newer, more-efficient thermal power generation plants near energy reserves while lowering pollution near cities.

“Ultra-high-voltage technology makes it possible to transmit greater amounts of power across greater distances, with minimum losses and without compromising on reliability,” said Bernhard Jucker, president of ABB Power Products division. “This innovative solution will enable the world’s first AC to UHVDC connection and will help reduce environmental impact on residents of urban areas.”