Work on the Gezhouba hydroelectric project began in 1970, and was completed in 1988. A key water-control facility and an important component of the Three Gorges project, the Gezhouba hydropower station is located at the lower end of the Three Gorges in the suburbs of Yichang, 38 km downstream. It was China’s largest hydroelectric facility until the completion of Three Gorges, and was the first structure to block the flow of the Yangtze River.
In 1985, Hitachi Energy -in a consortium with Siemens - received the contract to build an HVDC transmission system between Gezhouba and Nanqiao District, near Shanghai from The State Power Corporation, China.
Commissioned in 1989, the bipolar 1,046-km Gezhouba - Shanghai HVDC transmission link is rated at 500 kV, with maximum power capacity of 1,200 MW.
| Main data | |
|---|---|
| Commissioning year: | 1989 |
| Power rating: | 1,200 MW |
| No. of poles: | 2 |
| AC voltage: | 500 kV (both ends) |
| DC voltage: | ±500 kV |
| Length of overhead DC line: | 1,046 km |
| Main reason for choosing HVDC: | Long distance, network stability, environmental concerns |
| Application: | Connecting remote generation |