China's Aba–Chengdu East 1000 kV UHV AC Project Fully Connected, Trial Operation Planned by Year-End

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 26, at the construction site in Li County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, the final section of transmission conductor was pulled into place, marking the full line connection of the Aba–Chengdu East 1000 kV UHV AC project, laying a solid foundation for trial operation by the end of the year.

According to reports, this major power corridor starts from the newly built Aba 1000 kV substation and extends all the way to the Chengdu East 1000 kV substation, spanning 734.8 kilometers with over 1,400 newly constructed towers along the route. More than half of the line passes through high-altitude mountainous areas characterized by steep slopes and deep valleys, while also crossing multiple major transportation routes and power corridors, making conductor stringing extremely challenging.

The project adopted a digitalized and intelligent management model during stringing operations, deploying a "sky network" monitoring system across the entire line to achieve full video coverage of work sites. At key crossing points such as the Xi'an–Chengdu High-Speed Railway and the Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway, the construction team utilized visualized tension-stringing equipment to closely monitor the stringing process throughout, while leveraging a digital management platform to enhance stringing precision, effectively ensuring construction safety and quality.

In response to complex meteorological conditions such as strong winds and icing in the plateau region, the project applied ten-bundle conductors in sections above 3,000 meters in altitude. Compared to traditional four-bundle and eight-bundle conductors, the ten-bundle conductor consists of 10 sub-conductors, which can more effectively reduce transmission noise, protect the ecological environment, and improve transmission efficiency and stability.

"For the western Sichuan section we are responsible for, nearly one-third of the area is above 3,000 meters in altitude with complex terrain. Combined with frequent rainy and foggy weather and low visibility, construction progress has faced significant obstacles," said Ma Qing, head of the western Sichuan section of the project. The project team continuously optimized construction techniques, employing methods such as helicopter lifting and drone surveys to ensure safe and efficient project advancement.

It is reported that after the full line connection, work will proceed in an orderly manner on line accessory installation, substation electrical installation, defect elimination, commissioning, and acceptance checks, with trial operation expected to commence by the end of this year. At that time, the abundant hydropower resources of western Sichuan will be continuously delivered to the Chengdu–Chongqing region, transmitting over 15 billion kWh of clean electricity annually, providing sufficient and stable green power support for the high-quality development of the Chengdu–Chongqing Economic Circle.