In the scorching summer of Wuhan, the air conditioning load suddenly increases, and every cool breath in the city tests the energy artery of the thousands of miles of Jingchu land. At this critical moment when the electricity load is approaching its limit, a steel silver line winding from northeast to southwest accurately injects the surging current from the foothills of the Dabie Mountains into the core power grid of Wuhan, providing the most timely solution to the power defense war during peak summer season.

Open up channels to deliver clean electricity

Recently, the Hubei Dabieshan Power Plant Phase III 500 kV transmission project, surveyed and designed by China Energy Engineering Zhongnan Institute, has been officially put into operation, adding another solid defense line to ensure power supply in Hubei this summer. This 77.5-kilometer-long double circuit transmission line is like an energy channel, delivering clean electricity from the third phase of the Dabieshan Power Plant to the 500 kV Mulan substation in Huangpi, Wuhan, and continuously providing stable power to the main grid in Hubei.

The line starts from the Dabie Mountain Phase III Power Plant and ends at the Mulan 500 kV Substation. It includes two sections of newly built and renovated lines, extending from northeast to southwest, passing through Macheng, Hong'an, Xinzhou, Changjiang New Area, and Huangpi. The factory areas and transportation routes along the route are densely packed, and the construction difficulty at multiple crossing points is high, requiring strict standards for design, coordination, and safety control.

Innovative design breaks the deadlock

The entire line crosses railways three times, highways five times, and crosses multiple high-voltage lines. It also needs to raise two ± 500 kV DC lines and replace nearly 28.5 kilometers of old optical cables. The project renovation has a huge scale, complicated external coordination, and prominent safety control pressure. The design team proactively laid out and provided services in advance, launching multiple innovative design solutions.

Segmented planning for power outage construction to mitigate the risk of synchronous shutdown of multiple power lines. Originally, six 220 kV power lines were required to be cut off simultaneously. The team split them into two batches of staggered construction to shorten the high-risk operation time and ensure the smooth operation of the power grid. Double line synchronous lifting renovation, solving the problem of insufficient cross line space in one go. The project requires the installation of two DC lines that have been in operation for nearly 30 years. The design will simultaneously lift the two lines, complete the renovation and upgrade in one go, reserve long-term operation and maintenance space, and provide new ideas for the synchronous construction of new and old lines.

The railway connection has been advanced, setting a new record for approval speed in the province. In the early stage of design, we coordinated with the railway unit for survey and obtained the cross railway construction permit six months ahead of construction. The relevant experience can be promoted in similar projects within the province. Keywords: Wuhan, Hubei, China Energy Construction, Power Grid

After the project is put into operation, clean power from Dabie Mountains will directly reach Wuhan, filling the gaps in the regional 500 kV power grid, optimizing the structure of the provincial power grid, and improving the reliability of power supply. This high-voltage transmission channel connecting Huanggang and Wuhan continues to deliver green electricity, strongly supporting the stable development of Hubei's economy.Editor/Gong Ziwei