The Wuyue power project is a 1,000MW pumped storage hydroelectric power station under construction in the Henan province, China. It is estimated to be built with an investment of £734m ($1bn).
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is responsible for the development of the project consisting of four power generating units.
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The Henan Provincial Development and Reform Commission approved the Wuyue pumped storage power station project in November 2018.
Main construction activities on the project commenced in December 2020, and the first unit of the power station is scheduled to be put into operation in May 2025. The remaining units are expected to be completed by May 2026.
At full capacity, the Wuyue pumped storage power station is expected to generate approximately 857 million kilowatts hours (kWh) of electricity per year. It is estimated to consume about 1.143 billion kW of power in pumping mode annually.
The power station is also expected to offset approximately 291,400 tonnes (t) of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, replacing about 116,800t of coal consumption per year.
Location and site details
The Wuyue pumped storage power station is located in the Yinpeng township of Guangshan county and Dingyuan township of Luoshan county, Henan province, China.
The project site lies in the hinterland of the Dabie Mountains, approximately 70km away from the Xinyang city.
Reservoir and dam details
The upper reservoir is located in the Laoshan forest farm near the top slope of Laoshan village. Its rainwater collection area is 0.321km2 with a normal water storage level of 347.50m.
The upper reservoir will be created with a storage capacity of 11.31 million cubic metres (mcm). It will feature a 128.2m high reinforced concrete face rockfill dam with a crest elevation of 351m and a 10m wide crest.
The lower reservoir will make use of the Wuyue reservoir, a multi regulation reservoir with a watershed area of 102km2. It will be designed with a storage capacity of 13.23mcm and a dead water level of 77.884m.
Wuyue pumped storage power station make-up
The Wuyue pumped storage power station will feature four 250MW vertical shaft mixed flow, reversible Francis turbine units. The power plant will be designed to operate at a rated water head of 270m.
The power plant will comprise upper and lower reservoirs, a water delivery system, an underground powerhouse and a ground switch station.
The project also involves the construction of an access tunnel, a ventilation and safety tunnel, and a traffic tunnel.
Infrastructure facilities
The infrastructure facilities at the project site will include four single girder cranes, main and auxiliary workshop, as well as, a sand and gravel system.
Power evacuation
The electricity generated from the Wuyue pumped storage power station will be evacuated to the Henan power grid through a 500kV transmission line.
Contractors involved
The Eleventh Hydropower Bureau was awarded a contract to supply a water transmission system to the Wuyue pumped storage power station project in August 2020. The deliverables included an underground powerhouse, switch station, and a lower reservoir inlet and outlet.
Sixth Bureau of Hydropower was engaged for the construction works of the lower reservoir of the project.
China Hydropower Fifth Bureau was contracted for the construction of the upper reservoir that includes a concrete face rockfill dam, excavation banks, non-discharge structures, inlet and outlet of the reservoir.
The Fourth Hydropower Bureau was awarded a contract worth £36.11m ($49.20m) for the installation of mechanical and electrical equipment for the pumped storage power project in August 2021. The contract scope consisted of reinforced concrete works for underground caverns, hydraulic machinery auxiliary equipment, generator motors, underground powerhouses, main transformer tunnels, ground switch station, and other buildings.
Dongfang Electric was selected to manufacture and supply pumped storage turbine generators, whereas the Central South Institute was chosen for the survey and design works of the power project.
