The Maerdang Hydropower Station in Qinghai province, China, has marked a significant milestone in its operation. Since its first unit was connected to the grid one year ago, the station has generated 3.5 billion kWh of electricity, making it a major power provider in the “west-to-east power transmission” project. The hydropower station, located at an average altitude of 3,300 meters, has a total installed capacity of 2.32 million kilowatts. As of the end of last year, all five units of the station had been fully commissioned for power generation.
The clean power generated by the station is equivalent to saving approximately 1.07 million tonnes of standard coal and reducing about 3.98 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. The China Energy Investment Corporation, the operator of the station, is now developing a clean energy production complex integrating hydropower, wind power, solar energy, and energy storage, with a planned total installed capacity of 31.12 million kilowatts. The average annual power generation of this complex is expected to reach 48 billion kWh.
The Maerdang Hydropower Station is a significant step towards reducing China’s carbon footprint and providing clean energy to the country. The “west-to-east power transmission” project aims to transmit power from the west to the east of China, reducing power generation costs and increasing energy supply reliability. The development of this project is crucial for China’s sustainable development goals, and the Maerdang Hydropower Station is a key player in achieving this goal.