On June 30, 2026, the highest altitude section of the Aba Chengdu East 1000 kV High Voltage AC Project was successfully completed. This is the core artery project for Sichuan to build a new type of power grid that integrates the main network, distribution network, and microgrid, and is a key node for the subsequent large-scale export of clean energy from northwest Sichuan.

As an important clean energy base and West East power transmission hub in China, Sichuan has been continuously promoting the construction of ultra-high voltage backbone networks in recent years. This line precisely connects the abundant hydropower resources of Aba Prefecture and the core load area of Chengdu Chongqing.

High altitude special design solves extreme construction problems

The air in high-altitude areas is thin, and the energy field strength of ultra-high voltage cables is high. Conventional arrangements are prone to interference and heating problems. The project specifically adopts a highly split wire design, with 10 wires arranged in parallel without interfering with each other, greatly reducing transmission losses.

The total weight of a single 7-kilometer ten split conductor is 150 tons. The construction team used a step-by-step traction method of thin rope with thick rope and thick rope with steel wire rope to smoothly lift the heavy cable onto the iron tower. The effective construction time in the local area is only half a year, and there are still frequent rainy, snowy, and foggy weather in June. The builders accurately installed spacers on the cables swaying at high altitude, gnawing on the hardest construction bones.

The core of the main network supports the massive delivery of clean energy

The Aba 1000 kV substation, which is the highest altitude station of the same voltage level in China, has all components enlarged by 1.5 to 2 times compared to conventional stations. It has specially built a UV resistant insulation plant for GIS precision equipment.

The road on the mountaintop is narrow, and the 350 ton transformer has been dismantled into parts and transported up the mountain in batches, and then gradually moved down with four 200 ton jacks. After the entire station is put into operation, the annual transmission capacity can reach 15 billion kilowatt hours, equivalent to the total electricity consumption of 8 million households in one year. It can efficiently send clean electricity from hydropower stations such as Shuangjiangkou and Jinchuan to Chengdu, Chongqing, and even the whole country.Editor/Cheng Liting