GE commissions first two 300 MW pumped storage units at Jinzhai hydro power plant, China

GE was selected to deliver four 300 MW pumped storage units for the project. The first two units passed the trial period and are now connected to the grid. The project annual generating capacity represents about 1.4 times the annual household electricity consumption in Jinzhai.

GE Hydro Solutions was selected by Anhui Jinzhai Pumped Storage Power Co., LTD, one of the divisions of State Grid XinYuan, to supply four new 300 MW pumped storage turbines, generator-motors as well as the balance of plant equipment for the Anhui Jinzhai pumped storage power plant located in the Jinzhai County, Anhui Province, China. The first two units have been successfully delivered to the project, have passed the trial operation period, and are now connected to the grid.

The 1.2 GW project will play a role to help China achieve its goal to build more than 200 pumped storage stations with a combined capacity of 270 gigawatts by 2025 (Source: Bloomberg). The project annual generating capacity represents about 1.4 times the annual household electricity consumption in Jinzhai. Acting as a sustainable large-scale energy storage system, the Jinzhai pumped storage station will save up to 89,500 tons of coal and reduce 179,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

These pumped storage units will act as giant batteries that will help solve grid stability challenges for the province: water is pumped from the lower to the upper reservoir in times of surplus energy and, in times of demand, water from the upper reservoir is released, generating electricity as the water passes through the turbine.

Pascal Radue, President & CEO, GE Hydro Solutions, said: “Once the project is fully commissioned, the giant 1.2 GW hydro battery will offer a high level of flexibility and reliability to the local power grid. This demonstrates pumped storage Solutions’ ability to solve some of the biggest challenges linked to the energy transition, in China and beyond”.

This project adds up to the 8,2 GW of pumped storage solutions GE has delivered in China, which represent more than 25% of the installed base in the country. In the world, more than 30% of hydro storage plants are equipped with GE technology.

GE Renewable Energy, an integral part of the GE Vernova portfolio of energy businesses, is a $16 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.

GE Vernova, a dynamic accelerator comprised of our Power, Renewable Energy, Digital and Energy Financial Services businesses, focused on supporting customers’ transformations during the global energy transition.