PowerChina has completed project acceptance for two 1-GW-class pumped storage power stations it designed and built in northwestern China, marking major milestones for both facilities.

The Fukang pumped storage station in Xinjiang, the first 1-GW-class facility of its kind in northwestern China, passed final project completion acceptance. Located in Fukang city, Changji Hui autonomous prefecture, the station has a total installed capacity of 1.2 GW, comprising four 300-MW vertical-axis single-stage mixed-flow reversible units.

The facility includes upper and lower reservoirs, water conveyance systems and an underground powerhouse, with a 484-meter head difference between reservoirs. Designed annual generation capacity is 2.41 TWh, with bidirectional regulation capacity of 2.4 GW.

Since full operation, the station has achieved a comprehensive cycle efficiency of 81.13%, ranking among the top domestically. It facilitates the integration of over 2.6 TWh of wind and solar power annually, saving 165,000 tonnes of standard coal and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 496,000 tonnes per year.

The Zhen'an pumped storage station, the first in Shaanxi province, passed special acceptance for its main hydraulic structures. Located in Zhen'an county, Shangluo city, the station has a total installed capacity of 1.4 GW, with four 350-MW reversible pump-turbine units operating at a rated head of 440 meters. Designed annual generation is 2.34 TWh.

The upper reservoir features a maximum dam height of 125.9 meters with 8.5 million cubic meters of regulating storage, while the lower reservoir has a 95-meter maximum dam height and 9.56 million cubic meters of regulating storage. The station connects to the Shaanxi grid via two 330-kV transmission lines.

Once fully operational, the station is expected to save approximately 117,000 tonnes of standard coal annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 305,000 tonnes, providing critical support for power supply security and renewable energy integration in Shaanxi and the northwestern China grid.