Construction has officially begun on the Anhui section of the Gansu–Zhejiang ±800kV ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission line, with work starting in Digang Town, Fanchang District, Wuhu City.
Original By NLS
Construction has officially begun on the Anhui section of the Gansu–Zhejiang ±800kV ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission line, with work starting in Digang Town, Fanchang District, Wuhu City.
The project stretches from Wuwei in Gansu Province to Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province, covering 2,370 kilometers and passing through six provincial-level regions: Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, and Zhejiang. With a total investment of approximately RMB 35.3 billion, it is the first UHVDC project in the world to adopt flexible DC technology at both the sending and receiving ends. The initiative is also a key component of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan for energy development.
Designed as a critical transmission corridor for clean energy from the large-scale wind and solar bases in China’s desert regions, the project marks a significant step in advancing core flexible DC technologies. It will serve as a demonstration platform for future large-scale renewable energy projects in similar terrains.
Once in operation, the line will deliver over 36 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to Zhejiang each year, with more than 50% coming from renewable sources. This will help integrate more than 21.2 billion kilowatt-hours of green energy annually, displace around 6.4 million tons of coal consumption, and cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 17 million tons—the equivalent of planting 500,000 hectares of forest.
Beyond environmental benefits, the flexible DC system will enhance the national grid’s ability to balance power supply and demand across regions, improve the integration of multiple energy sources, and strengthen grid reliability. It is expected to play a crucial role in supporting the growing power needs of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data.