Operate the highest hydroelectric power plant on the Yellow River

The first unit of the Maerdang hydropower plant upstream of the Yellow River began operating on April 1 according to the operator, China Energy Group.

Maerdang hydroelectric power plant in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. (Video: CCTV).

Maerdang is the highest hydropower plant in the country with the largest installed capacity in the Yellow River basin, according to CGTN . Located 5,000m above sea level in northwest China's Qinghai province, the first unit of the Maerdang hydropower plant has an installed capacity of 550,000 kilowatts (kW). It is expected that this unit will produce 13.2 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean electricity per day, meeting the daily electricity needs of 1.1 million families, China Energy said.

After full operation, the plant with a total installed capacity of 2.32 million kW can produce an average of more than 7.3 billion kWh of electricity per year, reducing consumption of standard coal by 2.56 million tons and 8 .16 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

This project is China Energy's first integrated clean energy facility, including hydropower, solar power and energy storage. The project helps make better use of the abundant clean energy in western China to benefit the electricity-starved eastern region. In addition, an ultra-high voltage transformer station among the highest in China also went into operation last September, as part of the Maerdang hydropower plant in Qinghai.

After full operation, the plant will have a total installed capacity of 2.32 million kW.

The new substation increases the voltage of the power transmission network in the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province, from 330 kV to 750 kV. This is the first smart substation equipped with a drone system in this province, which can receive signals from intruding drones and turn on protection mode to intercept unidentified drones. The project can transmit about 15 billion kWh of clean electricity per year, promoting the use of water resources and electricity development in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, according to Gu Faming, deputy director of the mechanical and electrical center of Maerdang power plant. .