GE connects all units at 1.2 GW Jinzhai pumped storage hydro power plant in China

All units of the Jinzhai pumped storage power plant have now been successfully connected to grid and completed 15 days of trial operation. The project annual generating capacity represents about 1.4 times the annual household electricity consumption in Jinzai. Pascal Radue, President & CEO, GE Hydro Solutions, said: “Pumped Storage is the largest source of energy storage that exists today, which can help stabilize the grid with the integration of wind and solar power.”

Key Highlights:

* The 1.2 GW Jinzhai hydro power plant project will play a key role in this journey to a stronger energy mix in the country.

* Jinzhai pumped storage station will save up to 120,000 tons of coal and reduce 240,000 ton of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

* China aims to build more than 200 pumped storage stations with a combined capacity of 270 gigawatts by 2025.

* This project adds up to the +12 GW of pumped storage solutions GE has delivered in China, which represent more than 25% of the installed base in the country.

* In the world, more than 30% of hydro storage plants are equipped with GE technology.

Original Press Release:

Paris, France, Jan. 31 -- General Electric issued the following news release:

- GE was selected to deliver 4x 300 MW pumped storage units for the project

- All units passed trial period and are now connected to the grid

- The project annual generating capacity represents about 1.4 times the annual household electricity consumption in Jinzhai, China

In line with the planned schedule, all units of the Jinzhai pumped storage power plant have now been successfully connected to grid and completed 15 days of trial operation, by this moment, all units are under commercial operation. Under the contract signed in 2017, GE Hydro Solutions was selected by Anhui Jinzhai Pumped Storage Power Co., LTD, one of the divisions of State Grid Xin Yuan, to supply four new 300 MW pumped storage turbines, generator-motors as well as the balance of plant equipment for the Anhui Jinzhai pumped storage power plant located in the Jinzhai County, Anhui Province, China. The first two units were connected to the grid in October 2022.

The 1.2 GW Jinzhai hydro power plant project will play a key role in this journey to a stronger energy mix in the country. The project annual generating capacity represents about 1.4 times the annual household electricity consumption in Jinzhai. Acting as a sustainable giant energy storage system, the Jinzhai pumped storage station will save up to 120,000 tons of coal and reduce 240,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

Pascal Radue, President & CEO, GE Hydro Solutions, said: “Pumped Storage is the largest source of energy storage that exists today, which can help stabilize the grid with the integration of wind and solar power. The Jinzhai pumped storage project now fully operational will provide for a huge amount of clean energy to China and will help stabilize the grid to ultimately help integrate more renewable energies in a reliable way. And the beauty of hydropower projects is that it is set to be operational for the very long term, about 80 years, meaning that the project will provide affordable energy for several generations to come.”

China aims to build more than 200 pumped storage stations with a combined capacity of 270 gigawatts by 2025 (Source: Bloomberg), to help solve grid stability challenge and integrate more renewable energy into the Chinese grid.

Pumped storage units help stabilize the grid by acting act as giant batteries: water is pumped from the lower to the upper reservoir in times of surplus energy and, in times of demand, water from the upper reservoir is released, generating electricity as the water passes through the turbine.

This project adds up to the +12 GW of pumped storage solutions GE has delivered in China, which represent more than 25% of the installed base in the country. In the world, more than 30% of hydro storage plants are equipped with GE technology.

About GE Renewable Energy

GE Renewable Energy, an integral part of the GE Vernova portfolio of energy businesses, is a $16 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.

GE Vernova, a dynamic accelerator comprised of our Power, Renewable Energy, Digital and Energy Financial Services businesses, focused on supporting customers’ transformations during the global energy transition.

Follow us at www.ge.com/renewableenergy, on www.linkedin.com/company/gerenewableenergy, or on twitter.com/GErenewables.

Source: General Electric

[Category: Power, Power Generation, Hydro Power, Procurement and Sales]