PowerChina's Shangyi pumped storage power station in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, has put its second 350 MW unit into commercial operation after completing a 15-day trial run, marking progress toward full commissioning of all four units by end-2026.

The station, Hebei's second-largest pumped storage facility and Zhangjiakou's first gigawatt-scale project of its kind, has a total installed capacity of 1.4 GW across four 350 MW reversible pump-turbine units with a rated head of 449 meters.

It connects to the Zhangbei ultra-high-voltage substation via a single 500 kV line, serving peak shaving, valley filling, frequency regulation, phase modulation and emergency standby functions for the Beijing-Tianjin and northern Hebei grids.

During commissioning, shaft runout on the lower guide and turbine guide bearings was adjusted to within 0.05 mm. Trial operation of unit 2 showed vibration, runout, temperature rise and electrical performance all meeting design and specification requirements.

Both upper and lower reservoirs are now filled, with units 1 and 2 stably connected to the grid while units 3 and 4 undergo installation and commissioning. Once fully operational, the station is expected to generate 1.54 TWh annually, enhancing local absorption of wind and solar power and supporting grid security for the capital region.