China’s Top Utility Completes World’s Biggest Pumped Hydro Plant

(Bloomberg) -- State Grid Corp. of China has completed the world’s biggest pumped hydro plant as the nation ramps up its green energy capabilities.

The last of 12 units at the Fengning plant started commercial operations on Sunday, the official China Energy News reported. Two units have variable-speed technology — the first of its kind in the country — which allows the station to adjust to power grid loads at a faster pace, according to the report.

The 19 billion yuan ($2.6 billion) plant in Hebei province has a capacity of 3.6 gigawatts and was a flagship project designed to supply power to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Fengning surpasses the Bath County project in the US as the world’s largest pumped hydro station.

During times of excess power, pumps are used to push water to reservoirs uphill. When more energy is required, gravity pulls the water back down through a turbine that generates electricity.

China is seeking to expand its pumped hydro capacity to 120 gigawatts by 2030, according to the National Energy Administration. The country had 55 gigawatts of installed capacity by June, NEA data show.

Energy storage will play a pivotal role in China’s green transition, helping spread intermittent wind and solar generation around the clock. State Grid and China Southern Power Grid Co. dominate investment in the sector.

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