From the Wuyue Hydropower Station to the Yarlung Zangbo River, the "pumping power" behind China's pumped storage
1. The largest mega-hydropower project in human history
In recent months, the Yarlung Zangbo River Lower Reaches Hydropower Project, the largest hydropower project in human history, officially commenced. With a total investment exceeding 1.2 trillion yuan, this mega-project plans to build five cascade hydropower stations with a total installed capacity of 60 to 81 million kilowatts, equivalent to more than three times the size of the Three Gorges Dam. The project is expected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to meet the electricity needs of 300 million people.
This is not only a milestone in the history of global hydropower construction, but also a key measure for my country to promote ecological civilization and ensure clean energy security. "Open ditches and canals, return them to the great rivers, and drain stagnant water." The Chinese nation's respect for, compliance with, and protection of water have nurtured an ecological concept of harmony and symbiosis through millennia of water management and use. Today, this concept is quietly revitalizing hydropower construction. In this green and surging energy revolution, water pump equipment is playing an irreplaceable and core role as a key auxiliary system.
2. What is pumped storage? Why is a pump necessary?
A pumped-storage power station is a special form of hydropower station, equivalent to a "super battery" for the power grid. Its operating principle embodies the wisdom of "peak shaving and valley filling, and adapting to changing circumstances."By utilizing surplus electricity during low-demand periods to pump water to the upper reservoir, this system accumulates potential for later use. During peak demand periods, this energy is released to generate power, transforming potential into energy. This ingeniously achieves the temporal and spatial shifting of electrical energy and the stable regulation of the grid frequency.
In this energy storage and discharge cycle, the water pumping equipment becomes the most critical kinetic energy conversion device. Like the human body's "heart system," it performs critical functions such as technical water supply, maintenance drainage, and leak removal. Its performance is directly related to the operational efficiency and safety of the entire power station.
In fact, in addition to super projects such as the Yarlung Zangbo River, pumped-storage power stations, as the "voltage stabilizer" and "regulator" of the power system, are being accelerated across the country and have become an indispensable core component of the new power system.The national target for pumped storage capacity is projected to exceed 62GW by 2025, and to exceed 120GW by 2030. Currently, there are 678 planned pumped storage projects under construction nationwide, with a total investment exceeding 70 trillion yuan. The Henan Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station, a major, one-million-kilowatt project approved by the National Energy Administration and shared today, is a crucial component of this national strategic plan.
3. Henan Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station:
Located in the Central Plains, storing energy from the mountains and waters
The Henan Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station is a key project in Henan Province's "13th Five-Year Plan" energy development plan and power development plan. It is also a key energy project approved by the State Council to revitalize the old revolutionary base area of Dabie Mountains. The total installed capacity is 1 million kilowatts. After the power station is fully put into operation, it can save the system's thermal power coal consumption by 116,800 tons each year, which is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 291,400 tons each year. It is of great significance to the construction of the power grid regulation capacity in central China.
As of now, three units of Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station have been put into operation to generate electricity.In this major project, Leo Pump Industry provided technical water supply equipment, maintenance drainage and flow channel water filling systems, leakage drainage systems and other related pump equipment (including GSX high-efficiency single-stage double-suction horizontal centrifugal pumps, NLG vertical pipeline centrifugal pumps, NDX single-stage end-suction cantilever horizontal centrifugal pumps, GLC vertical long-axis pumps, WQ series submersible sewage pumps, and D series horizontal multi-stage centrifugal pumps).
Among them, the GSX250-390 high-efficiency, single-stage, double-suction horizontal centrifugal pump, awarded the China Energy Conservation Certification, features a double-suction design with a flow rate of 1200 m³/h and a head of 40 m. It boasts a wide range of models, excellent hydraulic performance, and a novel structure, offering high efficiency and reliability, low NPSH, and low maintenance. This product, which has been awarded the "Second Prize for National Science and Technology Progress," has demonstrated outstanding performance in major projects such as the Shenhua Guohua Qingyuan Power Generation Project, the Huaneng Dalat Power Plant, and the State Energy Group Yueyang Power Generation Company.
4. Solid Core Capabilities Support Major Projects
The Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station is a prime example of the localization of China's entire high-end equipment manufacturing industry chain. The vast majority of its core equipment and construction materials, including Leo, are sourced from domestic companies, demonstrating that China's independent R&D, design, and manufacturing capabilities for pumped storage power stations have reached world-leading levels. Harbin Electric Power Group, supplier of the core main equipment, undertook the design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning of all core components, from the runner, main shaft, and generator rotor. TBEA Shenyang Transformer Co., Ltd., supplier of the 500kV main transformer, undertakes the critical task of boosting the generator's electricity and transmitting it to the grid. Pinggao Group, a leading domestic high-voltage switchgear company, provided a complete set of 500kV GIS equipment. Its high reliability and compact design ensure the safe and stable grid connection of the power station.
In addition to traditional pumping equipment, with the deepening implementation of the national "dual carbon" strategy and the rapid development of the pumped storage industry, smart pump health systems are becoming increasingly important for the safe and stable operation of pumped storage power stations. Examples include Leo Pump's smart pump health monitoring system, Taiji Co., Ltd.'s smart pump cluster system, and Kenfulai's KICS intelligent cloud platform.
In addition to the Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station, many large-scale, important water conservancy projects for public welfare in China, such as the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the Yangtze-Huaihe River Diversion Project, the Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project, and projects by the five major energy investment companies, have attracted a group of Chinese manufacturing companies with extensive project experience.
5. Promoting China's Hydropower Development with Flowing Wisdom
"Guiding the river, piling up stones, it reaches the Dragon Gate." Ancient Chinese wisdom in water management transcends time and space, finding new life in hydropower development millennia later. With the deepening of the "Dual Carbon" strategy and the advancement of the Yarlung Zangbo River project, China's pumped storage industry is entering a golden period of development. Amidst this monumental energy transition, a group of domestic manufacturers are injecting powerful momentum into this vital national infrastructure with their exceptional technical prowess and reliable product quality.
Rivers surge, and the times march forward. As the Book of Changes says, "Nothing nourishes all things like water." We have reason to believe that this flowing wisdom will inject inexhaustible impetus into the green development of the Chinese nation and contribute significantly to building a beautiful China.
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