Energy

World's 1st 660kV transmission system sends power in China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-28 16:32

YINCHUAN -?The world's first 660-kilovolt direct current power transmission system began to supply energy from Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region to the eastern Shandong province Monday.

The 10.4-billion-yuan ($1.6 billion) project is a part of China's West-East power transmission program.

Related readings:  China's thermal power plants to see more losses  Qinghai-Tibet Power Project to end early in 2011  Examining China's real fiscal power  Suntech Power wins $80m UN contract

The cable system has a current-carrying capacity of 4 million kilowatts of electricity over a distance of 1,333 km through five provinces and regions.

Cui Jifeng, general manager of Ningxia Power Co, a subsidiary of the China Power Grid Co said the system was built to supply hydropower generated on the upper reaches of the Yellow River as well as thermal power produced in Ningxia to coastal Shandong.

The system was independently designed, produced, constructed and tested by Chinese companies, he said.

China's coal resources are mainly based in the West and North. The West-East power transmission program was initiated in 2000.