State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power accelerates the construction of a new power system to help achieve the "dual carbon" goals

China Energy Storage Network News: On January 10, the final line commissioning of the 220 kV Yuquan Transmission and Transformation Project was underway in Ganquanbao Economic and Technological Development Zone, Urumqi, Xinjiang. After the project is put into operation, it will help Xinte Energy Co., Ltd. increase its high-purity polysilicon production capacity by 24,000 tons per year and improve the overall power supply capacity of Wujiaqu and northern Urumqi.

In 2021, State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. actively served clean energy power generation, implemented measures such as "ensuring domestic supply and strengthening external transmission", and achieved electricity sales in Xinjiang of 150.7 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 18.2%, and electricity transmission from Xinjiang of 122.4 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 16%; promoted the construction of a new type of power system demonstration zone in southern Xinjiang, continued to work hard to promote the coordinated interaction of sources, grids, loads and storage, and did a good job in the grid connection and consumption of clean energy to serve the realization of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.

First to try, build a new power system

In the context of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, how should Xinjiang's energy and power development be positioned? Under the trend of clean and low-carbon energy transformation, how can the advantages of energy resources in southern Xinjiang be brought into play? How can the planning and construction of power grids meet the needs of new power system construction... On January 10, State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power organized relevant experts to discuss these topics in depth and further clarify the path for carrying out related work.

In 2021, State Grid Corporation of China listed the southern Xinjiang region as one of the demonstration areas for the new power system, opening a new chapter in the development of energy and power in Xinjiang.

"Accelerating the construction of a new power system is a major measure to achieve the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality in the energy and power sector. We need to focus on dealing with the impact of the randomness and volatility of large-scale new energy power generation on the smooth operation of the power grid." In September 2021, at a seminar on promoting the demonstration zone of a new power system in Southern Xinjiang, Song Xinfu, deputy chief engineer of the Xinjiang Economic Research Institute, director of the New Power System Planning Research Center and Energy Development Research Center, said.

Xinjiang is rich in new energy resources and has the foundation and advantages to build a new power system, but lacks flexible power sources with regulation capabilities. Experts participating in the seminar believe that to solve this problem, it is necessary to improve the market mechanism for thermal power to participate in peak-shaving auxiliary services in the near future, mobilize the enthusiasm of thermal power companies to participate in flexibility transformation and peak-shaving; adopt a development model that combines medium-term pumped storage and new energy storage, and long-term hydrogen-fired power stations and new energy storage, promote technological breakthroughs and institutional mechanism innovation, and further promote the development of various types of regulation resources.

On September 28, 2021, State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power released the company's new power system implementation plan, clarifying 39 key tasks in 10 aspects of building a new power system, and fully promoting the construction of a new power system demonstration zone in southern Xinjiang.

In recent days, builders have stepped up construction at the Fukang Pumped Storage Power Station in Changji. The power station is the first pumped storage power station in Xinjiang, and the first unit is expected to be completed and put into operation in 2023. At present, there are two pumped storage power stations under construction in Xinjiang, with an installed capacity of 2.4 million kilowatts, a designed annual power generation of 3.778 billion kWh, and a designed annual pumped electricity consumption of 5.036 billion kWh.

According to the plan, the reserve capacity of Xinjiang's pumped-storage power stations is 36.6 million kilowatts, which will provide strong support for the construction of Xinjiang's new power system.

More energy storage power stations are also under construction. The Hami Shisanjianfang Energy Storage Peaking and Frequency Regulation Power Station is the first shared energy storage power station in Xinjiang. The first phase is scheduled to be connected to the grid at the end of January. After the full completion of the power station, the scale will reach 180,000 kilowatts/180,000 kWh, which will effectively enhance the flexibility of the power system in the eastern Xinjiang region, meet the power grid frequency regulation and peak regulation needs, and enhance the safe and stable operation capabilities of the power grid.

In order to achieve the synergy between "coal-fired power guarantee" and "green and low-carbon", State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power is conducting in-depth spatial assessment of the potential for geological storage of carbon dioxide and analysis of the costs of carbon capture and storage in coal-fired power, coordinating storage potential and coal reserves, and helping to optimize the layout of coal-fired power development.

Grid interconnection upgrade to serve the development of new energy

On January 12, at the 220 kV transmission project site of the Hami Qijiaojing wind power booster station in Yizhong District, Hami City, workers were debugging and installing electrical equipment.

"The civil construction of the collection station has been completed by 95%, and the installation and commissioning of electrical equipment has been completed by 65%. It is expected to be connected to the grid in March, preparing for the grid connection of new energy projects in the later period." Zhao Jianxin, safety director of the general contracting project department of the 220 kV transmission project of the Hami Qijiaojing wind power booster collection station, introduced.

In order to serve the grid-connected power generation of new energy projects, State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power took the initiative to provide services and provide "one-stop" services for the entire process and cycle for new energy power generation companies. In 2021, the company served 970,000 kilowatts of new energy projects and absorbed 73.2 billion kilowatt-hours of new energy electricity, achieving a historic breakthrough in the absorption of new energy electricity. By the end of 2021, Xinjiang Power Grid's installed capacity of new energy power generation reached 36.85 million kilowatts, accounting for 34% of the total installed capacity.

"Xinjiang has a vast territory and a large proportion of new energy installed capacity. In terms of internal supply grid, it is necessary to strengthen the mutual assistance and complementarity capabilities between the north and the south; in terms of external transmission channels, it is necessary to continue to promote the Jiquan DC nuclear increase in supporting new energy, and improve the utilization efficiency of the operating UHV DC and the proportion of new energy power generation." Xin Chaoshan, deputy director of the New Power System Planning and Research Center of the Xinjiang Economic Research Institute, said.

On September 6, 2021, the Turpan-Bazhou-Kuqa II 750 kV transmission and transformation project was put into operation, and the mutual assistance capacity of the southern Xinjiang power grid and the northern Xinjiang power grid was increased from 1.6 million kilowatts to 3.3 million kilowatts. While meeting the electricity demand of the five prefectures in southern Xinjiang, the project will transport a large amount of clean energy from southern Xinjiang to all parts of Xinjiang, promoting the construction of a new power system demonstration zone in southern Xinjiang.

Data from the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Development Planning Department shows that the Xinjiang power grid has built 24 750 kV substations with a total transformation capacity of 65 million kilovolt-amperes, and 750 kV transmission lines of 8,845.3 kilometers. The 750 kV power grid covers all prefectures and cities in Xinjiang, forming an "internal supply four-ring network" pattern.

On January 6, Unit 2 of the Wucaiwan North Third Power Plant in Zhundong successfully passed all the tests of the trial operation, and another power supply point for Xinjiang power transmission was put into operation. "The two units can generate 6.2 billion kWh of electricity per year, and 5.9 billion kWh of electricity can be connected to the grid," said Li Haipeng, Party Secretary and General Manager of Shaanxi Investment Xinjiang Jimusar Power Generation Co., Ltd.

In recent years, Xinjiang has built two AC and two DC transmission channels, forming a "four-channel" transmission pattern. The ±1100 kV Zhundong-Annan UHV DC transmission project has a maximum transmission capacity of 9 million kilowatts. "This means that Xinjiang can transmit 216 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to East China every day, which is equivalent to the electricity generated by burning 66,000 tons of standard coal, and can meet the living electricity needs of residents in Anhui Province for about 2 days." Wang Hong, stationmaster of Changji Converter Station of State Grid Xinjiang UHV Branch, said.

On January 8, the Hami Municipal Development and Reform Commission reported that the ±800 kV Hami North-Chongqing UHV DC transmission project has entered the planning and approval stage. "The ±800 kV Hami North-Chongqing UHV DC transmission project is planned to be completed and put into operation in the 14th Five-Year Plan, and a certain scale of energy storage will also be built. By then, the proportion of new energy power generation installed capacity in the Xinjiang power grid will reach 68%." Liu Xiaobo, head of the Energy Section of the Hami Municipal Development and Reform Commission, said.