ABB valves and control system components improve 750-MW grid interconnection in China 
(06/06/2008)
ABB has won orders worth $8-million from the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) to deliver valve and control system components to the Lingbao extension project, located on the border between the provinces Henan and Shanxi in central China.
The Lingbao II extension project will expand the existing asynchronous interconnection at the Lingbao back-to-back HVDC (high-voltage, direct current) station by an additional 750 MW (megawatts).
“This extension project will increase the possibilities for power sharing between the two networks,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems Division. “ABB technologies are making a significant contribution to the development of China’s electrical grid system, in terms of reliability and energy efficiency.”
The project will use six-inch thyristors (power semiconductors), developed jointly by ABB and the Power Electronics Research Institute (PERI) in Xian. The thyristors are rated at 4,500 A (Ampere), which is the highest in the world. ABB will deliver the thyristors in cooperation with ABB’s local partners.
MACH 2 control equipment will be delivered by ABB and Sifang, ABB’s local partner for control systems on this project. ABB’s control system is the world's most commonly used control platform for HVDC and FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) projects, with over 400 installations currently in operation. It is used in all types of HVDC applications from small, yet demanding HVDC Light® installations to large, 6,400-MW power links.
The project is expected to be in commercial operation by December 2009.
Related categories: Power Power generation and transmission
