330-kilovolt project guarantees stable energy supply in NW China's Qinghai

The second line of the 330-kilovolt project in Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province was completed and put into operation on Sunday, effectively meeting the electricity demands for clean heating and industrial development.

Guoluo Prefecture lies in the core area of Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, with a current population of 222,000.

The picture shows the 330-kilovolt second line project in Guoluo, Qinghai Province. (Photo by Zhu Yiran)

With the rapid development of local industries and a sharp increase in clean heating loads, local electricity demand has soared.

In 2021, the 330-kilovolt project in Guoluo was included among major initiatives for the economic and social development of Tibetan-related areas during the 14th Five-Year Plan. Construction officially began in August 2023, involving 224 kilometers of new lines and 487 transmission towers.

It is reported that the 330-kilovolt project passes through four counties in two prefectures of Qinghai Province, namely Hainan and Guoluo. The average altitude along the line is 3,700 meters, with an annual temperature of minus 4 degrees Celsius on average.

Construction workers of State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company carry oxygen tanks on their backs to work on the second line of 330-kilovolt project in Guoluo, Dec. 20, 2024. (Photo by Zou Jianhua)

It spans various complex terrains and landforms such as deserts, grasslands, high mountains, swamps, and forests, while crossing the Yellow River thrice. It also traverses 18 high mountains and ridges above 4,000 meters in altitude. The project management team faced multiple challenges such as high altitude, oxygen deficiency, and difficult construction. 

Completion and commissioning of the second 330-kilovolt line project in Guoluo will further optimize the power grid structure in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, completely solve the relative weakness of the local power grid, and enable rural residents to share the fruits of power grid development, said Wang Xingqian, director of the Technical Management Department of the Qinghai State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company.

The project was put into operation five months ahead of schedule, further enhancing the power grid's carrying capacity and power supply guarantee for the Guoluo region.